Project Smoke and Mirrors
by CaylenA
Summary: Lost Springs, Wyoming. One of the smallest towns in the states and it's about to get even smaller. Somethings hunting the kids of Lost Springs. Something dark. and hungry..
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: hi, this is my first story and this is a collaboration with J.S.O.P. only few twilight characters are used and most of them are original characters from us.. Hope you guys like it.. **

**Prologue: The Hunting Of A Hunter**

**Essex, England 1604**

_"Witch, witch, where do you fly? Under the clouds and over the sky."_

Eleazer sang the words softly as he walked. His voice accompanied by the hooting of owls and the slurping of the mud as it pulled on his boots, pulling them deeper into the filth. The chirping of evening birds and the calls of other drunken men. They were sounds of the evening in his village.

_"Witch, witch, what do you eat? Little black apples from Hurricane Street."_

The young hunter couldn't help but smile as he breathed in the scent of ash and smoke. For him it was the scent of victory, for him it meant that the world was now a slightly safer... slightly better place. For he had been the hunter to find the wicked women.

_"Witch, witch, what do you drink? Vinegar and good red ink."_

Eleazer couldn't help but boast his victory, the lads had taken him to celebrate. Mead, ale and womenfolk had been his reward. They must have chanted and sang his way through enough to serve the entire village. It wasn't proper for a puritan boy his age but he didn't care though, in his mind it was worth it.

_"Witch, witch, where do you sleep? Up in the clouds where the pillows are cheap."_

He finished the song with a slurred and quirky chuckle. His laughter grew louder, shaking his entire body. Eleazer lost his footing, he slipped and toppled into the sludge and mud that coated the forest floor. The mud coated his clothes and stuck to his hair. He continued to laugh from his bed in the mud, not noticing what he was lying in.

_"Witch, witch, where do you fly? Under the clouds and over the sky."_

Eleazer started to sing his song again. Calling out his words in a deep and out of tune octave.

_"Witch, witch, what do you eat? Little black apples from Hurricane Street."_

He was a drunken mess. Far too out of it realize that someone was approaching his limp body. Far too out of it to feel the hands pull on his limbs that hung lifeless like filled with sand. Far too out of it to feel the wind touch his skin as they carried him along.

_"Witch, witch, what do you drink? Vinegar and good red ink."_

They dropped him to the ground with a thud but if the boy noticed the pain he neither cared or bothered to show it. Instead he continued to sing as his abductors began to chant and sing in voices much nicer than his own. Eleazer sucked in a large breath of air as prepared to screech out the last line.

_"Witch, witch, where do you sleep? Up in the clouds where the pillows are cheap."_

Again he laughed at himself. His mind lost in some far off land.

"Can'ie not just get this done? Blasted voice, givin m' ears right do over he is." The voice of a girl said.

Eleazer felt a jolt of lightening jump down his spine. Then another and another. Then what little feeling he had on is legs was gone, then in his arms. Eleazer could feel the jolts but not his body.

He could no longer taste the bitter mead that had clung to the back of his throat. The way the wind blew through the trees, whistling it's song into his ears. Not even the feel of the mud that stuck and hugged his clothes to his skin.

Elezer began to panic, the feeling was returning but was different. Suddenly he could feel everything, hear it all, taste and smell all of it. Most of all he could three women stand, each he knew where from the village.

Then he saw the fire, the swirling flames and twirling embers.

He watched as the girl with fire moved towards him. The embers begun to burn at his strange unfamiliar body.

The sisters watched and waited until he was ashes. They collected it together, filling the box with the still hot remains. The eldest sister then placed on the seal. Whispering her words of respect for the dead.

**Essex, England 1799**

"And a handful of crushed... no, not crushed... cress or maybe... No crushed... crushed rose petals. Then pepper is it..." The girl murmured to herself as she struggled to read the words. Working by candle light wasn't the best option but she didn't dare do this craft in the daytime. Too risky.

She pressed the knife into the petals, the little moisture present trickled out. The roses had been stolen like the other things.

But the roses meant more. She remembered her mother taking her past the gardens. They were beautiful. There had been tries lining the borders, each ripe with beautiful plump red apples. When Carmen went to pluck one from a low branch her mother had scolded her, 'always take from the ground, the fresh for the lord n' lady'. Carmen hadn't known there was rules to apple eating but she took one none the less.

Carmen dropped the petals into the pot, the water around them began to dilute red.

She chopped an apple in two. One half dropped in the pot the other was skinned then added.

Carlos had loved apples, he often stole them from the garden. He and a few other boys would sit under the bridge, have their fill then share the remains. Carlos always brought her the good ones; the ones with no bruises or dents.

"Three drops... Two drops of a widows blood..." Pressing the blade to the pad of her finger, then squeezing out two droplets of the ruby red liquid. They fell into the bowl, staining it red.

Widowed at twenty, Carmen had lost them all. Her love, her parents, siblings and little Carlos.

But this would be her revenge. Carmen would summon a spirit of the dark times to do her deed. Yes, this would be her revenge...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One: So You Had A Bad Day**

**Lost Springs, Wyoming Yesterday**

Spencer ran after the large yellow bus as it drove away from school, he was only a few seconds late yet he had still missed it.

Eventually the bus had stopped and Spencer had taken a seat next to a gobby freshman girl, who when attempting to blow a bubble had spat gum into his hair.

_Finally!_ Spencer thought to himself as he headed home. Normally he would have had lots of patience for shitty days but today had to be the worst day of his life.

It had actually started out fine but once he stepped a foot out of his house, everything started going downhill.

First the car wouldn't start so he would be late for class. He had taken off running, not noticing the dog shit on the street and stepped on it. Now he was late and reeking of shit, but of course the today was the day the universe hated him so much that the teacher had to announce that he was the only one who failed the most important test of the semester in front of the whole class, but to top it all off, Spencer's girlfriend of one year decided to break up with him.

'Just great', he had thought. He wanted to cry, but of course He wouldn't 'cause big boys don't cry'. Spencer still wanted to keep his man card.

After what felt like hours the bus came to his stop. He had got out of there faster than _Roadrunner_ could have managed. Spencer jumped from the school bus of noisy kids and took off walking. He walked down the narrow cut in the trees and careful not to slip on the overgrown undergrowth of the forest floor. He had walked this way many times before, the erosion effect had created a somewhat decent trail.

Spencer sighed deeply as he started his iPod, the only thing to help him keep calm was music, not alcohol. No, he didn't like to drink.

As the first few beats of the song flooded into his ears 'how fitting' were his thoughts as the first song that played was bad day by Daniel Powter. The universe had found many ways to annoy him today.

"It can't get any worse than this." He murmured to no one in particular, but as soon as he did he felt something or rather someone watching him. Taking out the earphones he looked around. Seeing no one of course, as he walked through the woods just listening to the music.

This was his therapy to stress and also that there is a path to his home here, but now he was regretting that he had walked through there as he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched and... followed.

Spencer stood still, his feet were planted firmly to the ground. Don't move. Don't speak. Don't make any sounds. Just stay silent.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Spencer swallowed the saliva that had collected in his mouth. He called out "Who's there?"

His voice rang out loud and carried through the woods with the breeze. Still he got no answer.

Now if this one of his buddies pulling a prank on him, he would not be held responsible for their demise because Spencer, sure as hell, would be strangling them to death. Before he sent them to a premature grave.

He continued walking and listening to music but only one of the earphones were in as he tried to also listen to his surroundings. After a few cautious minutes the rustling of leaves and a sinister laugh of a girl, so sweet yet so terrifying to listen to, broke through Spencer's focus.

"Who's there?" Spencer yelled in the forest and was answered by another laugh but this time a small girl with black shoulder length hair and an angelic, childlike face walk towards him smiling wickedly. The girl was wearing a black dress that ended at her calf. She was beautiful but she also looked dangerous. Spencer's instincts told him to run but he didn't.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Then, in true Spencer fashion, he made a mistake.

"Who are you?" He asked her, voice shaky. A bead of sweat formed on his brow and his palms grew moist.

"Meyca..." She answered and then smiled at him sweetly but dangerously at the same time. A sort of strange, cunning mix of the two that seemed to infatuate him.

"What do you want?"

Minutes pass of just silence, then "Blood."

Meyca launched herself at him, they landed on the ground with a loud thud and his backpack went flying as they rolled around, he tried fighting her off with all his strength but she was too strong for him, even if she was a girl and small, Spencer could not pull her off.

Continuing his struggle he saw the girl lift her head a little and opened her mouth, pointy white teeth peeking out. He screamed at the feeling of something sharp on his neck. The sharp things dug in deep, Meycas tongue sucked and slurped at the wounds she had made.

Still Spencer continued to struggle... and then... his arms grew weaker then fell limp.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Meyca licked the wound once more with a soft goodbye. Everything faded to black for young Spencer...

After Meyca had drank the blood of the young boy from the woods she had snapped his neck. Relishing in the crack as it bounced off the trees. To her kind, pain and fear was a melody that none could resist. Cries for help, sobs of sorrow, pleas and screams for mercy, bones breaking and heavy gasps for breath...

Just beautiful.

Spencer had been an okay substance and, although she wanted it, Meyca didn't drink it all. Of course she didn't. If Meyca did, _She_ would get angry. Instead she had taken the body back 'home'. Leaving it for _Her_ to deal with.

Meyca walked into the hall, pushed past others gaining glares and hisses of annoyance. No one liked each other hear there was just those you preferred slightly more than others.

She sat down next to Victor, watching a cockroach scuttle past, running from the two predators across the wooden floor boards.

Meyca grabbed it between her claw like fingernails. She smiled as it struggled against her vice like grip. Helpless little prey.

So close to death, the little creature knew.

Then, just a whisper, Victor spoke, "9,957."

"Only 43..." Meyca mused before crushing the cockroach between the tips of her fingers."To go..." Only 43 souls away to meeting _Him._

A/N: please read and review.. :D


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: here's chapter two. Enjoy. Read and Review.. :D**

**Chapter Two: Where It Starts**

**Lost Springs, Wyoming Present Day**

_Beep-beep! Beep-beep! Beep-beep! _

I woke up with sunrays beating down my face from the gaps where the blinds didn't quite cover. The fresh and new morning light stung my eyes making my vision blurry.

The bed groaned and creaked as I rolled over to turn off the annoying alarm clock that's beep-beeping telling me to get up already and start my day. After shutting it off I kicked my comforters down to stretch. The cool air attacked my skin with what felt like miniscule knives.

I moved over to the window by my bed and opened the blinds. 'It's a beautiful day' I thought to myself as I saw the sun shining brightly outside my window. The wind blew gently through the trees and the birds were chirping their morning song. Wow, now that's a cheesy yet very poetic thought.

I got up and headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower I got dressed in my best jeans (I.E. the ones with no holes in), my favorite bugs bunny t-shirt with my hightops. I tied my hair in a ponytail then headed downstairs to make breakfast.

As I was bustling around the kitchen cooking eggs and bacon I heard the telltale signs that my dad was coming down, the sound of his boots and his favorite portable radio that he always brings with him, I can hear it already spouting off news.

He rounded the corner with a smile. Planting the radio down as he pulled out a chair. "Good morning." Dad says as he settles down at the table. He was already wearing his police chief uniform. A faint five o'clock shadow covered his face and his dark hair was messy.

"Good morning daddy." I said with a cheerful tone as I kissed his cheek and returned to my cooking. The eggs sizzled and the grease in the bacon pan bubbled. The crackles and pops made me smile.

As I was placing his breakfast into a plate I heard the news reporter on the radio saying,

"_A local boy named Spencer Collins is currently reported as missing, his parents said that he did not return home yesterday after school . Friends and classmates said they haven't seen him since their classes have ended, the boy is described as tall with black hair and blue eyes and was last seen yesterday wearing a red Mario bros. t-shirt and jeans. If you have any information about him, please contact his parents at this number 555-9740 or call our station at 555-2853. And on other news…."_

"Bella, you okay?" I heard Charlie's voice say and I realized I was holding the eggs mid-air and the plate on my other hand.

"I'm fine I was just listening to the radio report about the missing guy... um, Spencer." I said as I returned to fixing his breakfast. The bacon sliding across the plate, staining it brown.

"Why, do you know him? He was reported yesterday at the station. Kid just vanished out of thin air." He said. He looked at me, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know him from school but he's a senior. We don't talk much." I paused, "Here's your breakfast." I said sitting down and putting his plate in front of him.

"Thanks." He said; he started eating so I did the same. We sat in silence, just the sounds of munching and the crackly voices of the radio DJ.

Conversation was never really a big part of our family, dad just wants to know what's currently going on with me but never pries and he just makes sure I have no problems at school or anything too serious.

He likes to make sure I'm taken care of as my mom is currently overseas as a travelling nurse. We only get to see her at least once in three months.

After I finished my breakfast I wait for dad to finish so I can clean. Instead he said "You go on ahead Bells, I'll clean up here"

"Thank you." I said and kissed his cheek again. I got my bag and coat then I headed out with a "goodbye" behind my shoulder.

I leaped off of the porch landing with a crunch in the gravel. I headed towards my car and waited a second to admire it, nothing flashy but it was the perfect car for me. A black Toyota Vios I got from my parents as a present for my sixteenth birthday. I know my birthday was last year and I should be used to my car right now but it still amazes me how my parents actually worked hard just to be able to get me it.

Now don't get me wrong we're not poor or scraping money but we're not rich either, it's just between the middle. Just getting by but not _yet_ struggling.

I got in my car and made my way to school.

Lost Springs is one of the smallest towns in America, according to the 2000 census there was population of one. I don't know if that's true or not, but if you give me long enough I could probably name all the kids that live here.

We all go to the same school. Lost Springs High, home of the buffaloes.

I love going to school and learning new things but being in a small town and seeing the same people everyday, it's getting kinda monotonous for me and the only things I look forward to is English class and my two best friends Christine and Alissa, too bad I don't have any morning classes with them.

As I parked my car in the lot I didn't see any of them so I just went straight to my locker to get my things.

The locker creaked and grunted as it opened. I pulled out my books and tossed them into my rucksack. When I was just closing my locker, the school bell rang so I went to my first class and prayed that time went faster so it would already be lunch time.

My first class was geometry with Ms. Chan, oh how I hated this class, because my Asian math teacher likes to always call on me because she knows math was never my strongest point.

She even purposely makes the solutions and formulas harder and more complicated just to see us squirm and make our heads spin and hurt and eventually explode into tiny pieces. Damn her...

My second class was arts with my very weird and very exuberant teacher Ms. Jane. Her class today was actually fun because she made us caricatures of ourselves and she jokes about it in front of the class like a stand-up comedian. We spent the whole time laughing at that class..

My last period before lunch was history with Mr. Preston, a balding man in his fifties that looks like he lives on slow motion. I swear your energy gets sucked out of you when you're in his class because you always leave the room feeling drained and sleepy...

One time he actually fell asleep teaching us. He woke up just before the bell.

After sitting through his boring lecture, the bell finally rang. I hurried for the cafeteria but stopped when my name was called. When I turned around I wished I had just ignored it, because the one who called me was my Mike Taylor, the biggest douche bag in my school and my super annoying admirer. Is that what you call it, admirer? or stalker?

"Hey Bella, how's it going?" he asked me, his grin a little too wide. Blonde hair pointing into many directions.

"Fine." I answered him, my tone clipped. With that I turned to walk away.

"Wait, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out with me this Saturday, you know watch a movie or dinner?" he said catching up with me.

I sighed deeply then turned to look at him "Sorry Mike but I can't, the girls and I already have plans for this weekend."

He opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"Also the next weekend and the next and the next until summer vacation." I told him, then turned to walk away leaving him standing there.

When I got to the cafeteria I went in line and got my lunch. After scanning the crowd I instantly saw Christine sitting at a table.

Christine is, well Christine is definitely different. She's short with her dark hair travelling down her back. Her eyes are dark and face permanently twisted to a smile. She had a happy but sarcastic personality she loves to watch movies and listen to music. Music was Christine's drug, you will always see her with an iPod and earphones in.

So there she was sitting at one of the tables with her own admirer, Aiden Carter, with a bouquet of blue roses in Christine's arms, she looks annoyed but she's blushing and Aiden looks happy and hopeful.

Now those two have been dancing around each other for a long time now. Aiden expressed his feelings for Christine in the middle of our freshman year after he made fun of us. We were freshmen and he was a sophomore, a jock at that, and Christine embarrassed him in the cafeteria.

Let's just say there really is a thin line between love and hate because those two hated each other at first but their arguments caused Aiden to fall for Christine... Hard.

Then he started courting her and until now he's still courting her because Christine didn't want to be somebody's girlfriend, thinking it's too cheesy. All of us are still waiting for Christine to crack because she also fell hard for him, her beliefs in relationships are the only ones holding her back.

I hummed a noteworthy tune as I walked towards the table, Aiden saw me so he smiled at me then went back to his friends after saying good bye to Christine. She put the flowers down and put an earphone in her ear then continued pushing a baby carrot around her plate with a fork. She didn't see me walking towards her, I smirked as I sped up my pace.

"I'm not sure the carrot likes that." I said taking the seat across from her.

"Oh crap, you scared me." she said as she took off the earphone. I laughed then smiled at her.

"Sorry." I said as I started eating my lunch. "When are you ever going to tell Aiden yes? I mean his been courting you for almost two years." I asked her but she just shrugged and continued pushing the carrot. I sighed.

"Where's Alissa?" I asked her through my first bite. Christine looked up again, her eyes shifted.

"Here comes the two headed monster now." Christine announced glaring at the doors. I turned in that direction, Alissa and Ryan walked in hands held tightly.

Alissa, my other friend is a happy, loud and never caring what others think kind of person. She's different but not Christine different. Her dark brown hair is cut into a short messy bob.

She loves clothes and dressing up because she dreams of being a fashion designer someday, so Christine and I were her usual mannequins when she wants to try out something new or when she wants to create some clothes or dresses she designed. Today she wore a black cute skirt, with boots and a long sleeve button down that she rolled up to her elbows.

Ryan is... Ryan's sixteen. A year younger than Alissa. We were all shocked when the two of them started dating, it all began when Alissa volunteered to tutor students and she got Ryan to tutor at English, they became really close and when her time was done at tutoring him, he asked her out, she accepted, and as they say the rest is history. Most of us found it weird, him being a whole year younger but they both seemed truly happy, so we supported them.

Ryan gave Alissa a kiss before running over to his friends table. They welcomed him jibes and slaps on the back. Alissa turned to our table and sat on my left.

"Hey guys." she greeted us smiling brightly but her smile fell away when she noticed our getup, me in jeans and my shirt while Christine wore a green lantern shirt and skinny jeans with her black chucks, she just sighed and decided not to comment on it. She pulled a metal flask out of her bag. When it was opened the aroma of spicy tomatoes flooded my nostrils.

"Hey, how was baby-sitting?" Christine said, Alissa just rolled her eyes. Already used to Christine's insults to her boyfriend.

"When are you going to stop insulting Ryan?" I asked her.

"The day when the sun rises color green." she answered immediately.

Ryan and Christine's relationship was always strained because they never seemed to get along. But despite Christine's animosity with Ryan, she supports his and Alissa's relationship completely because Ryan makes Alisa happy, but no matter where you put them together you would always hear them arguing and insulting each other, but it was never serious. The two just really don't clash, while Christine was always sarcastic, Ryan was always friendly but their only similarity was they were always smiling, sometimes it's almost too weird, because what were they always so happy about? Not the cafeteria food, that's for sure.

I just laughed lightly at Christine's answer, even Alissa was chuckling softly. So we all ate our lunch and talked about nothing and everything between the nothing. Listening to Christine's funny comments about all our classes.

When lunch ended, we bid each other good bye as I walked towards my next class they waved at me and they too headed for their class.

My next period was chemistry with Mr. Redfield, a handsome thirty something teacher of mine that us girls have a crush on. No wonder I am always interested and passing his class. *wink, wink.

After that, my next and last subject for the day was gym class, I groan internally, I hate gym, not because I'm clumsy or anything, I'm just not athletic like Christine or Alissa. Good thing I have them at this class. They make it bearable, I guess I'll just have to endure it..


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight..**

**Chapter Three: Extra Credit And Sage Don't Mix**

"Watch out for the puddles, Bella!" Christine called as we ran from the car. Alissa skipped past me laughing, kicking up water as she went.

I screeched as my foot sunk down into a hole of milky brown water. My jeans changed to a dreadful color.

Christine sniggered as she pushed open the doors, Alissa boots were making her slip on the steps. Her lips were moving but I couldn't make out every word she said.

"So?" Alissa asked us as we entered Skips Dinner. She shook her hair out from the rain. Droplets spinning off onto everything around, like a dog shakes out its hair till it's dry. I rubbed my hand over my face to wipe away droplets that had splashed there. Alissa didn't seem to notice though.

"So what?" Christine pulled her hair back into a pony tail as she spoke, it still fell past her shoulders. The wet ends curling together in slinky style springs. The rain had made her shirt a darker green.

Alissa gave Christine an annoyed look, tired of repeating herself.

"Come on." I said grabbing both of their arms and pulling them along.

I quickly guided us over to a booth before they started to fight, making sure to sandwich myself between the two.

Christine grabbed a menu and began to think up an order. Trying to pull off my gloves, the wet wool clung to my skin reluctant to be removed. Reasons I hate the rain could go on and on.

And on...

Alissa pushed wet hair from her eyes before speaking. "If you were listening to me outside you wouldn't need to ask twice. Seriously this is why I feel so unappreciated, you guys never listen to anything I say. You always -"

"Should I get cola or a smoothie? Or maybe..." Christine interrupted.

"See what I mean." Alissa sighed. She grabbed a menu and began her search. I don't know why she bothers, we come to Skips all the time. We practically have the menus memorized.

"I'll listen to you Alissa." She looks up and gives me a bright smile, "What crap are you going to drill into my mind today then?" I laugh making Alissa scowl.

"So, are you going to join?" Is all she said.

Alissa puts down her menu then retrieves a crumpled piece of paper from her shoulder bag. Surprisingly the paper hadn't gotten wet. Straightening it out as she passed it over the table.

Christine looked over my shoulder to see the paper.

It read,

**Project Smoke And Mirrors **

**Ever wanted to make your own horror film,**

**Well now is your chance to write, direct and star in your own film.**

**5 teams, 7 students per group.**

**To sign up head to the computer lab at 12o'clock tomorrow,**

**Be there, or be scared...**

"_Be there, or be scared." _I quoted, "Wow! Can that get any more cheesy."

"Lame!" Christine called, she returned to her menu.

Looking at the leaflet I saw it had been decorated with splatters of blood and green slime. The writing looked drippy and was blood red in color. There was a blurry cartoon image of Count Dracula in the corner. A picture of some crappily cut pumpkins sat in the opposite corner. It was supposed to look scary... I think.

"Cheesiness aside, it's an extra credit project. I need everything I can get to get into college." Alissa smiled. It felt strange to see someone so bright and jolly when outside the rain was pouring and the sky was grey. "I think it could be awesome!"

"Alissa, you think snails awesome." Christine said looking up from her menu. Her hand was twisted mindlessly into her ponytail.

"Okay. Number one: snails _are_ awesome, do not disrespect the ability to carry your own home. Number two: I'm never wrong about these things. Why would I be now? Number three: At least i'm not a fucking killjoy." Said Alissa, ticking her points off on her fingers.

"Alissa! I am appalled by your language. Such bad words you speak." Christine joked. It was true Alissa didn't swear, well she swore only when necessary. It sometimes felt like talking to a child.

Alissa glowered at us, Christine said "Whatever Bella wants to do. My biggest concern right now is food..."

Christine looked back down at the menu, not really caring.

We sat in silence for awhile, neither of us wanting or needing to speak. The booth we were sitting in was a regular location in our world. It was perfect, the sunrays lit it just enough and we were further enough from the door as not to receive a draft.

I leaned my head back against the window and closed my eyes. The cool glass soothed my head.

Have you ever slipped into a day dream about nothing? Well this is a recurring thing for me. I just slip in and out of the real world, I'm not thinking of anything while it happens so I don't know where my mind runs off to, it just drifts...

When I opened my eyes, my gaze heads straight to the counter because standing there is the guy I've been crushing on, the most good looking guy I've ever seen, Edward Cullen. _Cue dreamy sigh here.._

I've had a crush on Edward Cullen since the beginning of high school, a week after class openings he actually bumped into me at the hallway and I ended up sending my things airborne, of course he helped me picked it up and said sorry before walking away. That was the start of my attraction to him, besides the fact that he was handsome and smart, he was also friendly to everybody and the fact that he helped me pick up my things just added points for him.

Edward is... Edward is a senior. I doubt he remembers me...

"Bella? Bellaaaa?" I heard the distinct sound of my name being called and also the sound of people talking, but I ignore them, "What the hell is she looking at like that?"

"Oh geez, she's busy daydreaming again. What's wrong with her, it's like somebody put a 'do not disturb' sign on the doorknob of her brain."

"Bella!" both Alissa and Christine shouted at me.

"Huh, What?" I asked dumbly.

"Whatcha looking at? We've been calling out your name like five times." Christine asked cheekily. "Is it the guy over there that looks like Dumbledore with the beer gut of Homer Simpson? He is so dreamy isn't he?" she added laughing. Even Alissa was laughing right along with her.

"Oh stop it, you guys, it isn't funny." I said, pouting.

"I'm sorry Bella, but please just stop daydreaming about Eddie over there and save it for nighttime." Alissa said.

"And when you're alone." Christine added.

"Okay, fine, and his name is Edward." I replied.

"Who cares? But anyways I was asking you if you wanted to join the project or not? I can register the three of us." Alissa said in a sing songy way, head tilted to the side.

"Yeah I think, I want to join, it could be good practice for me to write scripts for when I become an author, what do you say Christine?" I turned to my right and looked at her.

"Sure, no problem, go with the flow." Christine answered absent-mindedly because she was looking at the menu hungrily. "I want to order now" she said looking up, and when she does, she said "She comes in peace!" holding her hand up high. When I look at the direction she is staring at, I see Lorelei Pearce with her bags.

Lorelei is.. there is really not much words you could describe her except weird, she is a tall, red head that doesn't really talk to anyone. I could count on one hand the times she talked to me, but she is kind and means no harm, but I noticed, so did everybody else, that I'm the only one she talks to. Besides that she also always carries three little bags with her, which we don't know what's in it. It's strange really...

There are rumors going around about weed, needles and other _fun_ stuff.

I smacked the back of Christine's head and said, "Don't be mean!"

I ignored Christine's 'ow' and 'sorry' and picked up the menu to decide what to order, Alissa did the same thing, but I still stole a last glance at Lorelei and saw she sat in a booth near the counter.

"Okay, I'm ordering a chocolate shake and burger with fries, how about you guys?" Alissa asked looking at me and Christine.

"I'm ordering a soda with a chicken sandwich" I answered her. Nothing big but nothing small.

"I'm ordering the same as Alissa but with a ham and cheese sandwich and an extra burger." Christine said, Alissa and I both looked at her with WTF expressions on our face. "What? I'm a growing girl, I need food and just because I'm on the small side doesn't mean my appetite is too." Christine defended herself.

"Okay, whatever, It's Bella's turn to order." Alissa decided to just ignore Christine's food trip, but something clicked inside my head.

"What? I can't order. I'll take a rain check and you order." I told her.

"What? Why?" she asked me, confused.

"Because, _He's_ manning the counter, and I can't form coherent sentences in front of him" I answered with a 'duh' expression on my face. Seriously they should be used to my antics by now, I am with theirs.

Christine, not happy with us arguing over who's going to order and delaying her food, said "Oh come on, you're just going to order, It's not like you're freaking proposing to him." she pushed me out of the table and said "Go, shoo, order me my food woman." with a stern look on her face.

I stumbled a little, so I straightened myself and said "Fine."

Since I was already standing up, I had no choice, so I made my way to the counter with a blush on my face.

I smiled at Lorelei when I passed her, she didn't notice me. She just gazed into space. Her hands and eyes were busy twisting her hair around a string of beads. I'm not too sure of what this was achieving but it looked tricky.

Edward smiled as I walked towards him. He kicked off the wall he was leaning on and stood straight at the counter.

"Good afternoon ma'am, welcome to Skips, may I take your order?" Edward said to me.

"Uh, yeah, uh, I would like to have two burgers with fries with one burger extra, one chicken sandwich, one ham and cheese, two chocolate shakes and one mountain dew, please." I told him shyly. Sort of out of breath from my too long order.

"Coming right up." he said, smiling crookedly.

I watched him gather all of our orders, and I ogled his backside when he prepared our sandwiches and watched his muscles flex while fixing our drinks.

I should feel embarrassed that I'm staring at him shamelessly but my subconscious told me 'it's a once in a lifetime chance to look at him with an excuse, don't miss it' so I decided to follow her and watched him, like a hawk, well, my hawk eyes are currently scanning his behind and my mind has a picture of Obama saying 'not bad, not bad at all'..

"Here you go miss." I heard him tell me and effectively breaking me out of my haze. "That will be 28.95." he smiled genuinely.

"Oh yeah, here ya go." I handed him the money.

While he was ringing up my order on the register he looked at me and said "That's a lot of food for just you and your friends."

"Well…" I started to answer but I was interrupted when I felt something being thrown at me. It bounced from my chin and tumbled down my shirt.

"What the hell!" I screeched. I turned to see what was thrown at me and saw that it was leaves. Small and green...

I brushed away the leaf as Lorelei spoke, "Do not talk to him, it will end badly."

She continued her assault on me."Bad things are about to come." she keeps saying. The green of her eyes wild.

I picked up one of the leaves and looked at it, it looked like sage "What are you doing Lorelei?" I asked her, annoyed with her weird behavior.

"Don't talk to him, it will cost you." she answered cryptically and left. Running out of Skips and into the rain. The red of her hair becoming darker as the water touched it. Like fire she ran, not looking back but gaining many stares.

"Okay..." I said turning around and taking the tray from the counter. "Thanks, uh, bye."' I told Edward.

"You're welcome." he answered automatically, he looked shock as to what just happened with Lorelei. When I looked at our table I saw Alissa and Christine with their mouths open and dumbfounded faces. I also notice the whole diner was looking at me, I guess they saw the whole "throw sage at bella" show.

"Okay, I know Lorelei is quirky but that was waaaay beyond the norm." Alissa said as soon as I sat down. She reached forwards and grabbed her food.

"I know, what the fuck just happened back there?" Christine asked me.

"I don't have a clue either." I answered honestly "She just threw sage at me and told me not to talk to Elliot because it would end _badly_."

"Badly? What does she mean badly? Don't tell me, the freaks a psychic now!" Christine inquired.

"I don't know." I shrugged and started eating, wanting to drop the subject because, honestly, it creeped the freak out of me that Lorelei did that.

She's always been quirky but the quirkiness never reached anyone else.

Christine and Alissa just looked at me then to each other, before looking at their food on the tray.

"Food! Finally." Christine exclaimed happily, she then took her grub and started eating without a care who was watching her eat all of the things she ordered.

Another worker came to clear up the mess that scattered on the floor. Sighing and muttering as they did.

I snuck a glance at the counter to look at Edward, and there he was looking at me curiously, probably wondering why did that just happen. 'I haven't got a clue either, buddy' I thought to myself, then I heard Christine start telling a story of her day with her mouth full, distracting me from thinking of this hours happenings...

But down in the pit of my stomach there was a strange feeling...

It wasn't the dry meat on my chicken sandwich...


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight. **

**Chapter Four: Welcome To Team Skeleton**

His arms snaked their way around her waist. He pulled her towards him, she rested her face on his chest and smiled. Ryan lowered his face into her neck then breathed in.

"You smell good." Ryan's voice was muffled out from its place against Alissa's neck.

We and the other nerds, that had registered and was accepted, had been standing outside the computer lab for 20 minutes waiting for the teacher to arrive. Was it really hard for them not to make us wait.. Stupid tardy teachers, and when you're the one who was late for them they'll give you an earful. Freaking hypocrites..

During this time Ryan had been kissing Alissa and openly groping things that shouldn't be groped in public. Every time Alissa giggled and moved his hands somewhere else only for Ryan to move his hands back there. I should be kind of repulsed but i'm a hopeless romantic at heart. That was not the case with Christine though, who was looking at them with annoyance and she looked slightly embarrassed with their PDA. She kept looking from side to side, trying to avoid looking at the cozy couple.

Alissa turned in Ryan's arms so her back was against his chest. Ryan burrowed right back into her neck.

"You taste good too..." Ryan's tongue darted out to touch her neck, Alissa squealed and moved away laughing. Ryan pulled her back into a hug before shoving his tongue down her throat.

I turned away, being single around a couple sucks. But imagining myself doing that with the one I love, it makes me hopeful, hoping one day I could express my love for my someone freely in public, but not the way Alissa and Ryan does it, no, maybe more romantic and sweet, like just hugging and chaste kisses maybe even rubbing our noses together or just look and get lost in each others' eyes.. Okay, I'm reading way too much romance novels..

"I'm not sure if I should report to the police about public indecency or possible pedophiliac." Christine said, gagging at the display of affection. I smiled and rested my head against the wall.

"Don't worry Chris, you'll be like that one day." I teased her, she looked horrified.

"If a guy who claims to be in love with me, gropes me in public then he better prepare for a black eye." she told me in all seriousness, I totally believed her, it would not be the first time Christine suckerpunched a guy.

"Yeah but maybe that's just his way of showing his affections towards you, maybe someday, it would be you and Aiden doing that." I teased her again, I love seeing her blushing, flustered and speechless, it only happens once in a blue moon.

"Over my dead body am I going to be doing that." she said while gesturing her head to the still sucking face couple. I noticed almost all of the students waiting and bypassers were looking at them too.

I was about to answer her when we heard a commotion.

"HEY! HEY! GET BACK HERE, YA' SHIT HEAD!" I turned to look down the corridors, as did everyone else. Edward fell through the double doors laughing. Everybody was startled, even Ryan pulled his lips away from Alissa.

Edward was slipping on the ground before scrambling to his feet again. He bolted past us only looking back when the doors opened again.

The owner of the voice, Ted Stone, followed suit. Ted and Edward were best friends. Despite their brawls and taunting. Ted was a lot like Edward just louder and less attractive. He had brown hair and grey eyes and loves to pull pranks on people just so he could get a good laugh, sometimes it annoying but sometimes it is funny, oh well, he did have a funny laugh though, all snorts and full out.. but back to the present.

Ted was quickly gaining on him. At this Edward dropped a rucksack to the ground, and continued his run. Pushing and shoving people out of his way. Ted leaped over the rucksack with grace before tackling Edward to the ground.

People cleared a path for them unsure what to do. A few of Edwards other friends were sniggering at how easily he was taken down.

Ted had straddled Edwards back and was pushing his face to the dirty floor. Shouting and cheering about his success.

"You absolute prick, Eddie." Ted stood up and went to retrieve his bag. Edward sat up, a beautiful smile on his face. I turned away to hide my smile. He looked absolutely handsome today, he was wearing a black polo shirt with jeans and chucks.. he could wear anything and I would still find him impossibly attractive.. it's so not fair to anyone for being so good looking..

I wanted to go over help him up, introduce myself maybe make a failed attempt at dazzling him. But Mr. Stevens had arrived, unlocked the door and was letting us inside.

Mr. Stevens... _You absolute prick._

"Alright, I want you all lined up along the back wall. When I call your name you'll come to the front and take the draw. The piece of paper you get will tell us what team you're on."

We lined at the back of the class. In Stevens' hands was an odd looking box that I assume was filled with pieces of paper.

Everyone stopped talking waiting for Stevens to call the name. The intensity of the moment reminded me of that scene from _Harry Potter, _the part where Mrs. Mcgonagall calls out the kids names so the grim hat can put them into houses.

"Oliver West."

Oliver kicked himself off the wall and walked to the front. He reached his hand into the box and emerged with a slip. He unfolded the paper,

"Team Ripper." He said smirking, visible chewing on some gum.

Stevens directed him towards a table. On top of the table was a black top hat. Noticing this Oliver immediately began to fuss with it, finally opting to wear it. He lent back on a chair putting his feet up.

"Alice May." Alice walked to the front taking extra time. Then taking extra time again to take her paper. Geesh, this girl looks like everything she does is in slow motion, like one second looks like three for her..

"Team... Ghoul" Taking extra time to speak.

And that's how it went, names were called. There was five teams in total; Team Aswang, Team Ghoul, Team Ripper, Team Skeleton and Team Bloodsucker. Who came up with these names?

Alissa had been put into Team Aswang. Whatever that is..

Ryan and Christine into Team Skeleton, much to her dismay.

I was the last to be called out. I walked hastily towards the front not liking the attention I was receiving.

Mr. Stevens smiled encouragingly as I reached my hand in. "Go on." He murmured.

For a fifty-something _prick,_ who's breath smelt like bacon and whisky I should add, he was almost nice. Almost nice.

The box was beautiful, it was made from a soft wooden material. It had craved patterns creating a picture of a boat that appeared to be about to be swallowed up by the ocean.

Pulling my hand out, I unfolded the paper.

A little face stared up at me, and two arms lay crossed in an X shape. The Team name lay underneath.

"Team Skeleton." Christine gave me a 'woop' as I walked over.

I recognized a few of the kids on Team Skeleton . Christine of course. Ryan and his sister Marie Jones. Mike Taylor, AKA douche bag. Jason and Jackson Little. These were the people who I was to make a horror film with.

The brilliance that is the universe strikes again.

"So, the teams you're in now are the teams you will stay in. In a minute I will hand you your starter equipment, now before we start is there any questions?" Stevens said.

Ryan raised his hand.

"No, Mr. Jones, there will be no switching of teams." Ryan lowered his hand disappointed.

Alissa looked a little disheartened but I couldn't decide if she had wanted to change to be with Christine and I or Ryan.

"Yeah, I have a question. What's an Aswang?" A voice from the back called gruffly. Thank you anonymous kid for asking the million dollar question, I was curious about what it is too. The kid, whoever it was, wasn't too bothered about being here it sounded.

Stevens stood stumped by the question. Looking nervously around the room. I doubt he would find the answer in his shoes. He obviously didn't come up with the team names..

"An Aswang is a vampire like creature from Philippine mythology. Winged creatures... very scary. You can google it." The voice came from Christine. I stared at her, mouth slightly agape. I was not expecting Christine to answer.

"What? I actually know stuff is that a crime." Christine said. She then resumed staring out the window.

"Any other questions?" Stevens began to hand out the equipment that included a very snazzy looking camera. Passing the camera to one team that instantly dropped it.

"Why is there a top hat?" Oliver yelled still wearing said top hat.

"If you look to the center of your table you will see an item with relevance to your team name..."

What do you know, in the center of our table was a waxy looking skull. Jason picked it up and studied it before handing it to Jackson."A part of this project is to design a logo for your team. The item must be a part of your logo."

He handed us our equipment then moved on.

"Well," Marie spoke for the first time."This... Is... Awkward..."

"Indeed... It... Is." Christine agreed, "Indeed it is."

We all just sat there looking at each other then away, basking in the awkward silence..


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight.. **

**Chapter Five: Is It Human?**

I got out of the Vios, slamming the door a little harder than intended. My shoes scuffed against the gravel as I walked up the path way.

Large puddles had formed in the uneven pits of the pathway, this morning I had stepped in one. Successfully soaking my good denims. They still hadn't dried off though.

When inside I pulled off my mud covered shoes and chucked them at the corner. Instead they hit the wall then fell with a thud, scattering mud everywhere. I would have to clean that up later.

I ran up stairs with my feet thudding on the carpet as I went. I let out a huff of air as I fell back on my bed.

I was exhausted, emotionally that is.

Today hadn't been the best of days and the 'Project Smoke And Mirrors' meeting didn't make it any better. After Mr. Stevens had put us into groups we had been told to assign each other positions or jobs.

The Little twins instantly claimed their positions as actors before giving the rest of the team a little _display_ of their _skills_.

Marie and Ryan began a sibling war instantly fighting over who should direct. After five minutes, the fight led on to other subjects. I.e. Ryans hair, Maries hair, Maries night time 'activities', Ryans nonexistent 'activities', etc.

In the end I took it on myself to do some research. I was just going to look at some urban legends, watch a couple of movies. You get the drift.

I let out another sigh as Scampi crawled onto my stomach. I sat up and pulled him into my arms.

"Hey sweetie. You miss me? I missed you." He replied with a soft mewling.

Scampi purred from his place in my arms, nuzzling his face into my stomach. His soft mews and purrs as I ran my fingers through his black and white fur brought a smile to my lips.

Scampi, our cat of six years, was a Denvon Rex. He had always been small, but like all Denvon's he had the 'satellite' like ears. Scampi had beautifully soft fur, one of my favorite past times was running my hands through it whilst he sat on my lap. This was his favored past time too.

"Bella!" Dad called as he ran up the stairs, making dust fall from the support beams on my roof. He knocked gently on my door.

"Come in dad!" I called back. I placed Scampi on the floor, dusted the hairs from my jeans, then stood up from my bed.

Dad walked in. Smiled meekly before closing the doors. "I just wanted to tell you that i'm heading for work."

"Um, okay... Is that all?" I asked. I walked over to my desk and turned on the computer. The humming of the fan and the windows logo fluttered on.

"Yeah..." Dad turned to walk out. He opened the door, not noticing Scampi slip out, he stood at the door.

"Dad?" I asked cautiously, his face looked funny color. He looked... scared...

He looked up at me, concern glazed his eyes. "Just stay inside the house, okay. If the phone rings ignore it and don't answer the door to anyone. Make sure you-"

"Dad! I'm not four, Okay? What's brought this on?" He stood still. Sighing he closed my door then leant against it.

"D... Dad? What's...?"

Dad isn't good at showing emotions. I have only ever seen him cry once, even then it was on a videotape of their wedding.

He sat down on my bed and looked at me.

When dad acts this way it can only be bad, "You remember the Collins' kid went missing? Well, they... they found his body earlier this morning."

"Oh." I whispered.

"There has been another missing persons report too. Three kids, out of towners." Said dad. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Tourist go missing all the time. What makes this any different? Give it a few days, they'll show up. They always do." It was true, tourists who went wondering didn't always come back. Well not after a few days at least. Christine said we jinxed the town by calling it Lost Springs.

"They found a body." Dad looked up at me, eyes were concerning as he did. "They think... they think it's more than just some stupid teens. No, there's something out there... I'm not supposed to be telling you this but your find out soon enough. Were going into schools to speak to kids. Just a warning to stay away from the forest."

Silence...

My dad always found this job hard, dealing with kids anyway. Knowing someone was purposely going after teenagers must have a bad effect on him.

"What do you think is happening?" I asked.

Dad stood up, gave me a kiss on the cheek then left the room. He didn't answer my question but he didn't need to.

I leant back in my chair as I listened to the engine of the car starting. The crunching of gravel as he reversed and the screeching as he drove away.

I pushed away from the desk making my chair twist around. My foot pushed from the bed as I continued to spin. Such a small, childish game seemed to keep my mind simulated for longest of times.

Spencer Collins, I barely spoke to the guy. He was senior, just turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago. When I first started high school I was often late for the bus. Spencer he had gotten the bus to stop for me. After that he would always make the bus wait for me. I think once he lent me a dollar for the vending machines... but that may have been Mike. How could I feel sad for someone I didn't know?

I had rarely spoken to Spencer, never knowing much about him, so again, how could I feel sad for someone I didn't know?

I stayed like that for awhile spinning in the twirling computer chair until I was dizzy. The vast world of my bedroom began to blur as I twirled and span and twisted and spiraled.

Spencer is dead and I have a sick, twisted feeling he isn't the last...

_Soucouyants lives by day in the form of an elderly woman in the outskirts of villages. However when night falls she strips off her wrinkled disguise, hides it in a mortar, and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness of the night, looking for her victim. The fireball enters a home of her victim through the keyhole or any crack or crevice._

My eyes were straining from the hours on end of staring, research hurts.

It has been three and a half hours since my dad left. During that time I had broken the twirling chair, typed up some homework then started on the project research.

It hadn't gone as well as I had hoped. You cannot just type in 'Urban Legends' without getting at least one or two dodgy sites. After a hour of surfing through what I can safely call cult homepages, I found a pretty good place.

It talked about alot of Caribbean legends, after clicking on a subheading _Jumbee Spirits _I was brought onto the _Loogaroo_ or the _Soucouyant._

_The soucouyant will suck the blood of people from their arms, legs and other soft parts while they sleep. If the soucouyant draws out enough essence (blood) from her victim, then the victim will become a soucouyant herself, or else perish entirely, leaving her killer to assume her skin as a new disguise. _

I let out a tired yawn, Scampi purred as though trying to outdo the noise. I ran my along his spine and the curls of his tail erupting a series of pretty purrs from deep within his chest.  
>Scampi jumped from his place beside me, bounded across the clothes cluttered floor and leaped onto my bed.<p>

He stared out of the window. Satellite ears pricked and standing straight to attention. Iced blue eyes watching something out of my viewpoint.

He chorused a round of purrs and began pitter, patting his paws at the windows. I smiled at the cats confusing antics then shifted my gaze back towards the monitors screen.

"Prepare for death via eyestrain." I mused to myself whilst rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands.

_A Soucouyant will then trade the blood of their victims for evil powers with a demon who resides in the silk cotton tree. To destroy-_

"Holy Crap!" I screeched the pitch of my voice surprising me. On the other side of the window where Scampi sat was a thin but still visible train of rising smoke. I hobbled over to my bed. Shoving the cat out of my way I pulled open the window.

On top of the chipped, decaying windowpane was pieces of leaves and flowers twisted into a strange complicated chain. The last flower was alight with a small flame.

Instinctively, my hand reached out a picked up the piece of the chain that wasn't on fire. I lifted the chain until the flame was level with my eyes...

The flame curled and twisted towards me, as though it was attempting to lean into me. It flickered and began to crawl along the chain. Making the flowers crisp and curl inwards then the grass turn to a sweet smelling ash.

The sent flooded my nostrils. It reminded me strangely of orangina and polo mints. It reminded me of lemongrass and the weird vine things that grows on the fence by the Pearces house.

In that second the flame had reached the tips of my fingers and was beginning to burn away the first layer of skin.

I screamed and tossed the chains out of the window. It tumbled onto the windowpane, ash scattering onto the wood, before slipping off again.

"Ho!" A voice called from below. I looked down, a mess of red hair and black rags. Lorelei Pearce stood under my window shaking the ash like chain remains from her hair. She looked up a sugary smile on her freckled face, "Watch it, will you ladette!"

"Lorelei!" I screamed, something I have been doing alot lately.

"Yes?" She called, cupping her mouth with her hands in attempt to strengthen her voice.

"What are you... why? Why, is this some... I don't know, practical joke? Are you trying to make me look like a pratt or something?" I called to her. I sat on the windowsill and leaned outside.

Lorelei smiled approvingly, as though I had done something wonderful. In her mind it probably was.

"Practical joke? I wouldn't ever do something such as that, no I never. This is no laughing matter, no it isn't. I believe I have indeed told you before of danger that does follow you, yes I have. My dear ladette, young Bella dear _She wants you_. That _She _does my dear, that _She_ does." As lorelei spoke her head bounced from side to side and her hair spilled out from it's bun.

I looked at her in wonder, "_She_?"

"Yes, _She_ the _Jumbees _of couse. _He _can only ever come back after the essence is given. Stay away from your lad my dear or bad things will come." Her voice bounced of off the trees and echoed. The smile was gone know and fire lay inside the greens of her pretty eyes.

"Edward? No, no. Edward isn't my lad he's just... a lad. Why will my being near him make 'bad things' happen? And why are you setting my house on fire?" Scampi, who I had forgotten about, began to nudge my feet. Curious to the situation and not liking the lack of attention he was receiving.

"Oh silly ladette, he is yours but soon he won't be. _She'll_ have him soon." Lorelei began to walk away. "Please do be careful. Sage won't keep the _Jumbees_ away for long."

Skipping over the grass in our garden. When she reached the iron fence she slipped through an almost hidden gap with ease.

Sighing I slipped back inside. I closed the window then leant back against it, the cool glass soothing my forehead.

The Lorelei has always been strange. Well all the Pearce family are actually.

They're what my mother called 'eccentrics'.

They lived in the house next to ours. When they first moved here they had great big iron fences put around their house making it look somewhat like a haunted house.

Everyday Lorelei would stand right up close the fence, clutching a bar in each hand and her face in between the bars. She did this for years no matter the weather. Never moving. Never speaking.

When I was ten years old, I asked her, 'why do you stand there?' Lorelei turned, she had always dressed darkly even then, she replied with, 'this is as close I can be.' She proceeded to tell me about how her dad had been stolen by fairies when he crushed a toadstool. She span a tale about a fairy who hated her family, so to protect them her mother surrounded them with iron.

I never really understood Lorelei, her ways were too different to my own too twisted.

_Soucouyants lives by day in the form of an elderly woman in the outskirts of villages. However when night falls she strips off her wrinkled disguise, hides it in a mortar, and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness of the night, looking for her victim. The fireball enters a home of her victim through the keyhole or any crack or crevice._

_The soucouyant will suck the blood of people from their arms, legs and other soft parts while they sleep. If the soucouyant draws out enough essence (blood) from her victim, then the victim will become a soucouyant herself, or else perish entirely, leaving her killer to assume her skin as a new disguise. A Soucouyant will then trade the blood of their victims for evil powers with a demon who resides in the silk cotton tree. To destroy Soucouyant, coarse salt be placed in mortar containing the soucouyant's skin. She then cannot put the skin back on and will perish._


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight, just some of the other characters.. Read and review, please.. **

**Chapter Six: Disturbance **

Today was Saturday. It had been two days since the first project meeting, one day since the announcement of Spencer's death and the warning from the police. They had come to all the classes and, in full uniform, told us the news. The out of towners, Collins kid, a new curfew, restrictions on the forest and other areas.

Since then we had written the plot and cast the roles. I was helping Marie direct, something I was less than happy about and Christine was acting.

Mike had made the decision for us to film in Sangre Forrest, not too far in, and like we were warned in a large group.

"I think it's stuck!" Ryan called looking up to where his jacket hung on a branch. Christine had thrown it in anger earlier.

"That's what she said!" Jason called out. His gaze didn't move from Maries arse though. Neither did Jackson. The two were currently staring at it whilst she struggled to pull equipment from the back of Ryan's car. Jackson's eyes were focused, looking straight ahead, round as saucers and very close to popping out of his head. Jason wasn't much better. Eyes and body language matching his brothers. Only Jason was straining his neck slightly more to get a better view.

For around ten minutes they had been staring.

"Urgh! Mother Fu-" Marie screeched as she tugged on the box. Jammed tightly into the boot of Ryans car. Kicking and screaming was clearly not doing any good. "It's stuck!" Her midnight hair flew around as she punched the box and Ryans car. Succeeding at jamming the box further.

"Pull it out slowly." I shouted from my place beside Christine. As Marie started her tug-of-war with the car again, she was interrupted by Jason.

"That's what she said!"

"Shut up!" She screeched. "Can someone help me? Every time I pull it just gets more stuck." I walked over, smiling softly before tugging a corner of the battered cardboard.

"That's what she said!"

After ten more minutes of pulling, tugging, scratching and scraping the box was still stuck.

After twenty minutes Ryan began to climb the tree.

"Okay! So how about we get started?" As he spoke, Mike circled the benches where we sat.

No one was listening.

Jackson and Jason was still busy ogling Maries ass, probably mine too, as we struggled to retrieve equipment from the car. Ryan was busy scaling a tree to reach his jacket. Christine was singing and looking at Ryan with a very amused smile on her face as she watched him try to climb the tree.

"_My heart's a stereo  
>It beats for you, so listen close<br>Hear my thoughts in every note, oh oh.  
>Make me your radio<br>Turn me up when you feel low  
>This melody was meant for you<br>Just sing along to my stereo"_

Her voice strung out, a soft melody that filled the air around us. She tilted her head to the side and her eyes fluttered closed. Her hands gently tap-tap-tapping a rhythm onto the topside of the box in her lap. She sang along to the lyrics and hummed when the guitar strung out its tune.

I turned my head. Gaze now focused on the portable radio- Jackson had brought it... or maybe Jason- as it crackled and spluttered out the melodies and lyrics to a song I couldn't name.

"_If I was just another dusty record on the shelve  
>Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else<br>If I ask you to scratch my back, could you manage that  
>Like it read well, check it Travie, I can handle that<br>Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks  
>It's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks<br>I used to used to used to used to, now I'm over that  
>Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts<br>If I could only find a note to make you understand  
>I'd sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand<br>Just Keep it stuck inside your head, like your favorite tune  
>And know my heart is a stereo that only plays for you"<em>

I'm sure that to anybody else listening to Christine sing would seem a bit silly, her voice was unique. Always sung in an octave too high but still sounding perfect. Stretching out each note a few seconds too long then rushing into the next verse making it sound cluttered but if you looked past that you can hear the way her accent laced tongue would twist the pronunciation. She was unique.

"Um, guys, it is midday and we have been here for an hour! We have no work done! Now, come on! Let's get off-" Mike moved over to Jackson and Jason, slapping them both on the back of the head. Knocking them out of their Marie induced trance."- our asses and do some work."

"Mike, that's a very good plan but... I might be stuck up here." Looking up, Ryan was sitting in the tree, straddling a branch. He had his jacket back. Chris must have thrown it far because he was high up. Far too high to jump.

Marie cupped her hands to her mouth, "Ryan, honey, two words! Dumb! Ass!

Mike lugged the camera onto his shoulder and made his way into the dark forest. Marie followed suit. The Little twins jogged ahead talking about what I can only assume was an inappropriate comment about Maries ass. I trudged on, Chris followed still singing and skipping along the undergrowth of the forest floor. I assume Ryan was making his way down from the tree.

Beams of sunlight slipped through the gaps in the leaves and branches above lighting a small, dim path for us to follow. Rocks and fallen debris had been cleared from the pathway beforehand. The forest sounds were eerie; the faint sounds of stream nearby, trickling water, the soft thudding of our footsteps bounced off the trees, Ryan calling after us in a plea to wait.

We continued to trot along. Jackson started up the radio again as he walked sending Chris back into another song. "ooh, I love this song."

"_I can't win, I can't reign  
>I will never win this game<br>Without you, without you"  
><em> 

"Ugh! Can't you shut up? I hate your voice." Ryan said to Christine. She just stuck her tongue out at him and went to walk beside him and continue to sing loudly at his ear.

_I am lost, I am vain,  
>I will never be the same<br>Without you, without you"_

A manmade staircase of wood and earth took us lower and deeper into the enchanting woods around us. The steps were steep and uneven. A loose piece of earth broke off sending Marie tumbling down with Jason in tow. Mike had grasp hold of my waist but I had a feeling it was for more reasons than support.

Eventually we stopped in a small clearing. There was enough sunlight to give us a good camera shop but not too much to create a glare on the glass. The ground was surprisingly smooth compared to the rest of the grounds. It was mostly earth with a few stray patches of grass.

Perfect place to film.

The red light, a signal for quiet.

The boy stands still, he was facing east and head towards the dirty ground. The angle shows focused eyes and a creased brow. His face was chalky from dodgy stage makeup that is beginning to fade because of sweat. He stands and he waits.

He counts to ten in his mind, drawing out and every number with a Mississippi. Then he looks up. Counts for two this time. He takes five small and slow steps forward before he starts with a gentle trot.

Following a small trail not visible unless looked at carefully. He had been told to tread on leaves, stones, branches and debris to create sound. The crunch, crunch sounds bounce through the forest as he moves.

Hidden out of sight a girl gives him the signal. The boy sees and starts up with a run. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

Now he fades into the distance with the suns' rays bouncing off of his blonde head. Mud flicking from his shoes as he runs.

The scene changes.

The red light, a signal for quiet.

She is standing still. Expression unsure and cautious of her surroundings. Inside she is sure.

She looks up, into the sunlight. It highlights her face, her features and expression. She is told to stand still and quiet until she hears him.

So she waits. She stands in the silence and in the sun.

Then she runs, fast and loud. She strides, arms waving and legs pounding. She jumps and runs. Aware of the gazes she stays in character.

She smiles as she run, pants chest heaving. She will not stop for a breath until they tell her.

The scene changes.

The red light, flickers then disappears.

"I think it's broken."

"Nah, it's fine."

"See, just a scratch."

Mike picking up the camera from the ground. Marie snatched it and quickly began to fuss with the buttons.

"Just a scratch! The dam thing won't turn on. I swear to God, if it's broken you're buying a new one!" Marie scolded Mike, coming from Marie that's pretty scary. She has dark looks and even darker personality. Not to mention she's easily pissed off. Very, very easily pissed off.

"Alright, let's all take a break" Marie shouts then she returns to fiddle with the camera.

Christine skipped over to me, smiling. Perching herself on a rock she leant over to see what I was drawing. We were taking a break by the river bank, perched around on rocks eating lunch.

I stirred a stick around in the wet earth. Making spirals and smiley faces.

I looked up as Chris cracked open a Tupperware box of at least twenty sandwiches. After taking a sandwich for herself she shook the box in my direction.

"Want some?" She asked me.

"Sure, what's in these?" I asked her.

"This side," She said pointing to the sandwiches on the right side of the container "is just some chicken with mayo, but this side," pointing at the left side "is ham and cheese with egg, coleslaw and mayo with ketchup."

"Ham and cheese with egg, coleslaw and mayo with ketchup? Where did you come up with that?" I asked her incredulously as I tried to imagine what that would taste like.

"I don't know, I just took out stuff from the fridge and made it, but it taste good." She told me with a smile.

"Hmm, no thanks I'm taking the safe bet and go for chicken with mayo." I answered her and took the sandwich from the container.

"Your loss." She said before yelling "Hey, does anybody want some sandwiches?" Holding the Tupperware up in the air for the guys to see.

The Little brothers, Mike and Ryan all came running towards her, all of them grabbing a sandwich, Jackson grabbed two, but she took one from the container and handed it to Ryan herself.

"Thanks." Ryan said before opening it and taking a big bite.

When he swallowed, Christine smirked before saying, "I poisoned that, you know." He looked between the sandwiched and Christine, unsure, before spitting out the sandwich. Christine just laughed loudly "I'm kidding, God, as if I would really do that." She told him.

"With your fucked up mind, no one really knows." He answered her, taking another bite.

Jason called Ryans attention and we all turned to see him holding a football in his hands. "Dude, you wanna play?" he asked him. Ryan smiled then ran towards him and the other guys.

"That would not end well, I'm telling ya." Christine said to me as we watched them coordinate and throw down rules. Marie was still busy with the camera.

"Maybe, maybe not. Have you heard anything from Alissa?" I asked her.

"Yeah, she texted me earlier. Said her group is having a brainstorming session at her house later today." She answered, I was about to ask her something else when we heard Marie scream.

"What the hell! You broke it even more!" she yelled and we saw the camera and film on the ground with the football beside it. It seems that Jason threw the ball towards her accidentally and knocked the tape from her hands and brought the camera down too. Ryan walked over to see the damage himself. Jason was apologizing profusely.

"It isn't broken, the leg just got bent. We just need to find something to support it, then it's good to go." Ryan said to her while holding the equipment up.

"No! It's broken and we can't fix it. This all your fault, you idiots! You imbeciles!" she yelled while pointing at the guys. "You guys should have played more carefully! Or better yet, you guys shouldn't have played at all!

"Oh cut the crap, sis! How many times do we have to tell you it's not broken? Stop being so dramatic." Ryan screamed back at her.

"You're calling me dramatic? I am not dramatic, I'm just pointing out the truth that if you morons played carefully, the camera wouldn't be broken!"

"It's not broken!"

"Says you! Can't you see it's broken, the lens is shattered!"

"Oh take that stick out of your ass, the lens can be replaced and we could put a brace on the bent leg. It's fixable! So quit being a bitch and shut your trap." Ryan yelled at her sisters face.

"You're an asshole!" Marie screamed back before turning away and running into the forest. Well, that's not good.

"Marie, wait!" I yelled to her, but she just kept on running.

"You guys fix it up here, I'm gonna go get her," I told the others before following Marie.

"Okay, you guys take all the equipment down and let's wait for Bella and Queen Marie to come back." I heard Christine say to the others then I heard music play out as the others did what needs to be done.

I couldn't see Marie anymore, she had gotten a little further ahead, but I could definitely hear her. Stomping and cursing her way through the thick undergrowth.

The music and voices of the group became less prominent as I walked. They echoed and quietened until they were mere whispers.

"Marie... Come back! They were just playing!" I called out to the forrest, stumbling on the roots of a particularly large tree.

"Mar-!" Slipping on the muddy ground, hands flailing around for support before falling ass first into mud. "Marie!"

Standing up I lept into a run, twisting my body through thorny branches and pushing past the thick and thin bodied trees alike. Slipping, tumbling, pushing and cursing I was back to the wooden staircase. I could clearly see feet prints from where Marie had trodden past.

"Marie?" I called, "Are you there?"

"No one... I don't kn-" A voice rang through the trees. Marie.

"Seven, why do you-." Marie answered and spoke to a mystery person. I began to head in the direction, still listening in to the conversation.

"I-" Her voice faded in and out, cutting off from harsh whispers to nothing. "Who- I sai-" I began to move faster. Stumbling and tumbling along as I struggled not to slip. "Don't come near m-"

"Marie!" I could see her now. Just barely through gaps in the branches. Face scowling and fierce, "Are you okay?"

Pushing and shoving through the branches, "Are yo-" I walked onto the pathway, Marie stared straight ahead. Her head was tilted to the side and she faced straight ahead.

A series of strange throaty hacking noises came from her chest. Hands flew to her throat and she began to scramble. Falling to her knees, clawing at her neck and the earth, struggling to take in air.

Then I saw it.

The blood.

It coated her neck, spilling from a thick wound travelling crisscrossed over her throat. The black numbered shirt she had been wearing was ripped open. Thin lines, scratches, ran over her breast bone travelling down across her stomach. More red spilt from these lines and began to flow over her still convulsing body.

She clawed at the grass, forearms covered in blood. Skin stained red from her bloody wounds. Sucking in a large gulp of air before spluttering up dark blood. She moaned, whimpered with inhumane noises.

Grass and earth turned dark as the blood dribbled from her body and ran into the ground. I wobbled towards her, shaking all over I knelt at her side. Maries dark eyes stared at me pleadingly. Calling for help because her mouth couldn't.

"Oh... Oh My... Guys! Come Quick, Please! Oh My God! Guys!" I stuttered and screamed. Not sure I had formed coherent sentences. "Guys!"

I was frozen not wanting to move but needing. I needed to... to do something. To help her. To save her. If that was even possible but instead I stood and watched as her body twisted weakly in the dark, bloody bed of earth.

"Guys..."

Just barely a whisper that time. Crackly, too. I must have screamed more than I thought.

"Guys... please come... please don't die... please... please." I repeated the coarse and ruff mantra in my head. I placed my hands over my eyes. "Please don't die..."

I moved them away, hoping to see... nothing or anything other than a crushed, mangled Marie laying in a pool of her own blood.

But of course she lay clawing at the grass, her forearms and torso streaked with dark red blood. Skin raw from fresh wounds. She sucked in large gulps of air before spluttering up blood. She moaned, whimpered with inhumane noises.

Marie's dark eyes stared at me pleadingly. Calling for help because her mouth couldn't.

"Marie, I-"

Then... nothing.

Something hard hit in the back of my head. Sharp, quick and fiery pain swarmed in the back of my skull. For a second the world twisted and span in my gaze. Slipping sideways, loosing focus as it moved in a throbbing motion. Colors mixed. The green of trees seemed too bright and the horrid red stuff was mixing with brown.

I moved my hand to the back of my head, when I pulled it away. The red stuff was there too... and it was wet and sticky... and her hair was clamping in her hand.

I could feel bile rise in my throat as copper coated my tongue. The taste, the smell, the feel was all too familiar.

Then I didn't hear.

The span... then I didn't see.

And in that second I wasn't thinking about why or how I had passed out. Who hit me or why they did it. Not even about poor Maries convulsing body.

In fact, I don't think I was thinking about anything...

"Where is she?" He screamed at me. Ryan began to pace in front of me, all stomps and grunts. "Argh!"

I buried my face in my hands and continued to rock myself as Chris hugged me. Making gentle 'shh' noises as she patted my back. "_I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know_." I repeated the words over and over in ruff sounding whispers.

Ryan, obviously not liking my reply, began to shout and cuss a series of words I had never seen him speak. I flinched at the noises and pressed my face into Chris' neck. "_I don't know, I don't know_."

"It's okay, Bells." She hugged me tighter as I sobbed into her shirt. "It's okay."

Looking up, I saw Jackson struggling to calm Ryan down, Mike and Jason had gone to look down the riverbank. Hoping Marie had gotten lost and wandered back there. They didn't believe the blood was hers...

Well, Ryan didn't... Or he didn't _want _to believe.

I had only been awake for a few hours so I was still disoriented but I know what I saw. I know I saw Marie lying in the bloody earth. I know I did. I know that... _I don't know._

"Where is she?" I was no longer sure if he was questioning me. He was just shouting and I was laying in Christines arms whimpering as he did. "Where the fuck is she?"

"Hey, dumb ass! I see your upset but taking this out on Bella will not solve your problems! She's in enough shock as it is, she doesn't need you blaming her for... this... this _situation_! Okay?" Ryan nodded his head at Christine, an attempt to make her less pissed off. "Okay, then shut the fuck up!"

I don't know how long we sat in silence but eventually I stopped crying. My ruff and raw face rubbing against Christines mucky shirt. My arms sore from the scratchy material of Jason's sweater, he said people in shock need to be kept warm. So I had on both the Little brothers sweaters, my oversized hoodie and someone's blue anorak (Mikes?).

Eventually it got dark. The forest had gotten ten times colder and it was way past curfew, so when Mike and Jason got back we decided to leave. Well when I say 'we'... Ryan wanted to stay and look.

Then he just gave up. Following behind as we walked to the cars. Crying softly as Mike called the police and an ambulance for me.

We shouldn't have gone into the forest that day. We shouldn't have broken the police rules. We should have stayed at home. But it's too late for 'should haves' now. No, now we're a part of something... something disturbing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight.. **

**Chapter Seven: The Fear Of Not Knowing**

"There doesn't seem to be anything too serious other than a few bumps and scrapes. Considering the state of your clothes, I'm guessing it's not all from your attacker." Doctor Sally laughed softly as she addressed my mucky attire.

"That's not funny." She continued to smile as she flicked through my charts. "I already feel like crap, can't I freaking go home yet?" I said, frustrated.

She tossed the chart onto the table with a clack. "Watch your mouth around me, Miss Swan. I don't think your dad would appreciate that kind of language, would he now?" She joked with a very degrading ruffle of my hair.

"There is a lot he doesn't know about me. My filthy tongue being a strong and budding example. You won't tell will you?"

"Your secrets safe with me, Bella." She then proceeded with her doctor stuff. Shining the little light into my eyes as I flinched. "So... your dad here?"

"No, he's at the crime scene. He'll be here to pick me up soon." I shifted slightly in place. "You can 'Talk' to him then." I said adding in air quotation marks for effect.

"I already told you, your secrets are safe with me." When Sally finished I turned my neck to the side, crackle noises sounding out. I moved on the lumpy-bumpy gurney. The hospital room was chilly making me feel sharp and edgy even through throbbing skull.

Since arriving at the hospital they had washed my skin of Marie's blood and mine. Mostly Marie's though. Thankfully, whoever had hit me only broke skin. Not deep enough for stitches or to make serious damage but deep enough to bleed and give someone a killer headache for a few days.

Sally, my usual doctor, prescribed me with a _very_ healthy dose painkillers and antibiotics that should knock me out for a good few hours. Fortunately the dressing on my head would be taken off tomorrow so I can wash, shower, and avoid going to school in a poorly constructed mummy costume.

I stepped out of the white room, stumbling down the corridor I saw Jackson and Jason talking to an Officer. They both had their jumpers back and as I passed Jason gave me quick smile.

I guess I would have to give a statement too, mine would probably be the most important but also the most useless. Hours later I still cannot remember anything.

"For God's sake woman calm down I'm still alive... yes... well I'm pretty sure I could tell if that has happened and I wasn't the one attacked!" Christine was calling down her cell phone as I walked past.

_Who's that? _I mouthed to her.

Chris pulled the phone away and covered it with her hand. "My mum, she thinks the 'attacker' did _indecent stuff _to me, she doesn't seem to understand that I wasn't the one attacked."

I raised an eyebrow, not too sure if I wanted_ indecent stuff _to be defined. "Oh, have you had your statement taken yet?" I asked.

"Yes. Got to tell you, the best part was having a cute guy in uniform talk to me. Got to love the middle aged and balding look." Chris smirked at her sarcasm before returning to her phone call.

"No, mum I'm not ignoring you. I was talking to someone. No, not a boy. How would I meet someone at a hospital? Look, can you come pick me up or not?"

I stood nervously, talking to the police is the last thing on my to-do list right now. I don't know what to say to them, I literally can't remember anything.

It's all... blurry... and red. There's blood and screaming and Marie... Marie's neck is cut open, her chest and stomach are all scratchy and... it's all blurry.

And red.

"Here," I turn to see Mike, a plastic cup in each hand. "I thought you might want a drink."

"I don't think coffee is a good idea, not with pain killers anyway." I said.

"I have coffee, you have water." He handed a cup to me. I looked at the water as it sloshed about from movement. "Come on, it's just water. I didn't poison it."

I smile and take the water with a thanks. Taking two sips before speaking. "Have you spoken to the police yet?"

He nodded, "Yes, Jackson and Jason are taking it now. I did mine when we got here." Noticing my expression he continued, "It's not that scary, you talk to cops all the time. Your dads one, isn't he?"

"Yes, but I'm not scared I just don't want to do it. Whatever I tell them is useless. I don't know what happened, I just don't remember. It's like... I'm trying, I really am but it's just blurry and distraught."

"Your minds just probably trying to protect you, I read about it once." He paused, "When someone suffers a traumatic event there mind does something to make them forget it. To protect them from the bad stuff. It has something to do with amnesia I think."

We stood in silence. Mike finished his coffee, Chris finished her phone call.

"Well," She said coming over, we had moved to a small sitting area full of small blue chairs made from an itchy woollen material. Mike was sitting in the chair next to me and I was skimming through an old Kerrange issue, "Don't you two look cute."

"Shut up!" I said, Mike had a smug look on his face.

"Just kidding, My mum's outside waiting, so I have to leave." She gave me a quick one armed hug. "I just came to warn you, I heard two Officers say your next."

"Oh fuck, this is gre-" My whispered words died on my lips as the Officers approached. One middle aged, a large round belly and one of those scratchy beards, the other was youngish, hair dyed blonde but dark roots showing at the top.

"Bella Swan?" Blondie said.

Beardy turned to Mike and nodded in another direction. Taking the hint Mike left, but not before a slightly reassuring thumbs up in my direction.

"Yes. Let me guess, you want to talk to me?" I said confidently, well trying to be anyway.

Blondie nodded and sat in front of me, cringing at the feel of the material. Beardy moved to the chair next to him.

"I'm Officer Marks," He flashed a smile, "This is Walker." Beardy grunted. I found the name ironic; the guy looked like he could barely walk a mile, let alone run one.

"We need to ask you some questions about Marie Jones' disappearance. We understand that your friends found you alone at the scene, past out. Am I correct?"

"Yes." Walker began to scratch down notes.

"Can you tell us what you remember happening that day? From when you arrived at Sangre Forest."

"Well..." I proceed to tell them everything. Mikes' speech, Ryan stock up the tree, and Chris' singing.

"Did anything seem to be upsetting to her?"

I told them were we went; the wooden staircase, the stream and the river banks, the big oak trees and the grassy clearings. I told them about the fight, Ryan and Marie.

"What did she say exactly?"

Then as I spoke it was coming back. Slowly. Marie ran off, I followed. I fell. I slipped and tumbled. Marie was talking to someone... I didn't know.

"Why did she leave, do you know?"

Then, just as quick as it came it went. Just blurry and red and screaming and Marie.

"... and I think I saw... I don't know... I'm not much help am I?" I said crushing the empty plastic cup in my shaky grip.

Blondie looked up, "Nonsense, help is still help." Beardy pulled some paper from his note pad and handed it to me.

"Call us if you remember anything else will ya', doesn't matter how useless it may seem still do it." I took the paper as he leaned in closer, "Between you and I this case is going nowhere. Boys downtown ain't got no clue." He smirked and scratched his chin.

"Jed!" Blondie warned.

"What? Girlie here is smart, she isn't gonna tell anyone. I don't see why were telling people this is almost over, two kids are dead and we got three missing. When they turn up dead publics gonna be shittin' themselves."

Folks in this town can't handle a little fear. It's the root of their troubles, they'll go about their lives pretending it's all okay. Looking out for people like themselves, ignoring the strange and pretending that suffering is a myth. Normal people... they don't accept fear. Gets to them more than you and I."

He turned back to Blondie, "Sooner or later people gonna see this as a serial killing, then we to deal with the fear. Then we got even more shit to deal with." With that, Walker stood up and walked away.

I looked at Blondie, after the little show he didn't even try to deny it. He knew it was true and so did I.

"Be... Be careful, Bella. I'm not going to lie, there's a lot of bad people out there. I guess some just found their way into Lost Springs and decided to stay." He stood up and began to walk away. "Thanks for your time, Bella, you helped more than you think. Tell your dad I said hi."

I sat on the scratchy chairs for a full hour. Not really thinking, but thinking none the less. I was scared I guess, I was scared because I knew it was true.

_Beep-beep-boop-beep._

I was scared because I didn't know.

_Beep-beep-boop-beep._

I was scared because I didn't know what to be scared of.

_Beep-beep-boop-beep._

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. A text from my dad telling me to wait outside the hospital for him to arrive.

Gathering the crumpled cup in my hand and tossing the magazine into the pile I headed to the entrance. Jackson and Jason were talking to a chubby woman with a double chin who I assumed was their mother, unless they were into older heavy-set women now.

Beardy from earlier was waiting in the reception with some others. He was laughing loudly and doing a few unrecognisable hand gestures that sent his colleagues into the next round of laughter.

Beardy noticed me walking past, "You be careful out there, won't ya Girlie. Remember what I said." He nodded his head and smiled.

I walked faster until I was out in the cold night air. Lights from an ambulance nearby and a few nurses taking a cigarette break. No signs of my dad though.

I paced the walkway slowly, my hand gripping my phone in my right pocket and holding my breath tightly when I passed the smokers. When I paced back again, I saw Ryan.

I could see his eyes were red from here. His hair was messy and no longer smoothed down by gel but now springing up in tiny curls. This was probably the reason he used all the gel.

I walked a little farther, a phone was against his ear. It could hear a faint female voice reassuring him. Alissa.

Turning quickly away and continuing to pace. I felt like I was intruding an intimate moment, if I was it wouldn't matter. I've witnessed the two in many intimate situations before.

Only this one felt different. Ryan wasn't shoving his tongue down her throat, he was just looking for comfort.

The light thud-thud of someone else's footsteps behind me. I turned to see Ryan, phone in hand and eyes still red.

A scratchy noise escaped his mouth as he tried to speak, he passed me the phone.

"Thanks," I said. I lifted it to my ear, "Hello?"

"Bella? Um, it's Alissa. Are you okay?" She spoke. "Wait, don't answer. It's a stupid question, of course you're not."

I smiled, "No, I'm fine despite a killer headache. The good news is the Doctors gave me drugs for it."

Ryan smiled besides me, only hearing one half of the conversation. "Yay! Drugged up Bella is so much more fun than non drugged up Bella."

It continued like that for a short while. Alissa saying strange things that somehow made me laugh. Sometimes asking a question for Ryan, sometimes for me and sometimes asking about Marie.

Eventually Alissa had to go. So did the smokers. Leaving me and Ryan alone on the walk way.

"Bella?" He asked after a while. I looked at Ryan, his hair had gotten a little more curly from the lack of gel, reminding me of the boys from The Kooks. "Can I ask you something?"

"You already have, haven't you?" He didn't smile. "Sure."

"I know very well she couldn't have survived that." Ryan paused and stared at his feet then back at me. "Marie, her blood... it was everywhere. She must have been so torn up."

As he spoke tears filled his eyes. He rubbed his sleeve over them and his face scrunched up in pain.

"Ryan, don't..." I said, although I wasn't sure what I was telling him not to do. "Just... Just stop, okay?

"No," Sniffle, "I will. Did she..."

Then there was a long pause. We stood in silence again.

The little twins and the chubby lady came outside eventually. Jason smiled, Jackson gave Ryan a pat on the back and the chubby lady gave him an overly friendly hug. Then they left.

A car rounded the corner. It pulled up to the side of the walk way and my dad came out. He sent a smile to me and Ryan.

I looked back at Ryan. The glum boy who would use too much gel. The boy who pissed Christine off more than anything else in the world. The boy who's favourite pass time was playing tonsil hockey with Alissa. The boy who's sister just died. Maybe just died

Most likely just died.

"Did she look in pain?" He said, voice weak and scratchy.

I didn't want to lie to Ryan, it felt wrong. So I did all I could think of doing, I told the truth.

Well, not really I just nodded then turned down the walk way leaving Ryan all alone now.

"Hey." My dad said as I came up to the car. He was in uniform still, probably just came back from the forest. I looked at his boots, they didn't look like they had been through the mud and blood. Didn't they make you wear those weird plastic cover things?

"Hi, are we leaving?" I said looking up at his face.

"I just need to go talk to the Doctor, I'll be back soon." He lent forwards and placed a kiss on my forehead. I smiled and watched him walk away. When he passed Ryan I saw him stop. They were talking but it wasn't clear what it was about. I assume my dad was reassuring him in some way. It ended with an awkward pat on the back. My dad walked into the hospital and Ryan began to fiddle with his iPod or cell or Gadget thing.

I moved to the passenger side door and climbed in. Greeted by hot air and the buzzing of the cop radio. Looking at it whilst someone on the other side called for my dad. I wasn't sure how to answer so I stayed silent.

"Swan?" Crackle-crackle. "Swan, you there?" Crackle-crackle. "Swan, we got another missing report coming in."

Oh great.

"This ones the Cullen boy, you know, Edward." I stared at the radio. _Edward?_ "Kid who works at Skips. Apparently never came home from school on Thursday."

I looked at my hands. Spencer Collins, the three tourist kids, Marie Jones and now... Edward Cullen.

There's something more than a murder here, so much more. I have a feeling that something's hunting the kids of Lost Springs. Something dark and hungry...

"Swan? You hear me." Crackle-crackle. "Swan..."

**A/N: if anybody is reading this, sorry for the long update… our excuses contain internet shutdown, going on holidays, and broken laptops… but things will be back to normal soon.. and to those who are reading, please make yourselves known and review, so we can know your opinions and thoughts.. that's all, Bow.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: if anybody gets confused, Butty is a slang for sandwich. Kdot.**

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight..**

**Chapter 8: Such Dreadful Thoughts**

_When my eyes open, I am standing in the middle of the woods, barefoot and wearing an unfamiliar black robe that falls past my ankles and onto the floor, when I hear a laugh, childlike, but haunting, terrifying, scary._

"_Hello?" I asked to nobody. My voice echoes and fills the empty place. No one hears but it goes on forever._

_I don't know what made me, but I followed the sound. My bare feet thudding on the ground as I walked through the trees, it was sangre forest I realized. I followed and followed it. Feeling every bit of the dirt and the grime on the forest floor. Crunching and crackling of leaves and the silence when I step on moss or grass. _

_The air feels murky and dank. A smell hangs in the wind but I cannot make it out. It's vile and rotting and clings to my senses but I don't stop following the sound. Laughter from the unknown person (or thing), I don't stop walking towards its direction. _

_As I move the heavy black material pulls on the ground, catching on stray debris. The bottom is already torn and matted but I still lift it. Just above my ankles, a fistful of heavy black cloth in each hand. _

_As I walk something catches my eye, just a small but quick movement on my right side. I turn fast to catch up with the thing, my head spinning in a relapse of reality, but when I turned my head all I see is a blur of a black object. _

_Then I hear the laugh again. Gone just as quick as it came. In a thick mocking tone and the forest shifts about in my gaze. I ignored my current distraction and went on with my aimless journey, to follow the laughter. Then as I come to a stop, my body freezing in place in a stiff motion, I feel a thing. Something thick and sticky clings onto my foot. I looked down to see what it was. _

_Blood._

_I gasped. In the ground lies a present mixture of dank blacked earth, through it I know it's blood. Red, crimson, and sticky on my skin. You could see the faintness of the color red…_

_Then I felt the touch of someone's hand on the bare skin of my shoulder..._

_I didn't want to turn and look, too scared to move, and the hand that touched me was spine tingly cold. Like ice moving throughout my body and jolting along my skin from a single touch. I don't want to look but something compelled me to. A faint, but still there feeling of something controlling me, like I wasn't myself._

_I closed my eyes then slowly turned around, the black robe now swishing against the ground as I do. When I opened my eyes, I can't help but scream, a long high pitched and inhuman wail, at the sight before me. _

_The blood, the clinging dank smell in the air and the memories rushing back from what feels like a horrid nightmare because the thing in front of me._

_The person in front of me, or better yet the girl in front of me..._ Marie Jones.

_But instead of the scowling face just barely hidden beneath a mass of raven black hair she stands all tore up and bloodied. Scratches up and along her torso and a gaping hole in her throat. The blood is flowing freely from her neck, the hole, and her clothes remain the same as I last saw them. Ripped and black and matted, like plaster stuck to her skin. Torn up and ruined. As was her once seemingly perfect skin. Once pale, free of blemishes or cuts now she was full of scratches and nicks. And the wounds peeling back from her body in rotting chunks that look to fall off any minute._

_She looks like a freaking zombie, I think._

"_You're next." She said in a very hollowed voice, but hers doesn't bounce and echo the way mine did. Hers was too empty to sound alive._

_Then she disappeared, vanished and blew away with the non-existent wind. The laughing started again only it was closer, very much closer to me._

_When I looked back up, I had tears in my eyes that will soon flow freely and there is fear rushing through me. The long heavy robe does a good job of hiding my knees as they knock and clang together but the rest of my body isn't hidden as well._

_I see a little girl coming out of the trees in a black dress, not as matted as mine like she hasn't been through as much filth or was much more skilled as avoiding it, and with an angelic face she smiled and said the words, "Gotcha." _

_She leaned back against a tree and crossed her arms against her chest, she smirked again as she said, "Turn around again." in a commanding tone and a little twirling motion with her fingers. I couldn't help but feel the need to do what she says. Just a need._

_I hesitated but I followed her movements and I was almost glad that I did turn around, because there behind my back was Edward Cullen. But only almost glad. _

_I regretted doing so because the Edward was looking all sorts of wrong. He looked menacing and dangerous, dressed all in black and his cheeks were hollowed and he also had dark bags under his eyes. He wasn't smiling._

_He looked like Edward but didn't seem like him. Edward was always smiling or laughing, he was full of life, but the Edward in front of me looked like his life got sucked out of him… I was afraid of him._

"_What do y-" I was saying, but I was cut short. Voice cutting off and words lost on my lips as he opened his mouth. A perfect set of teeth, pearl white and gleaming even in the dim forest light, but with the sharpest the sharpest fangs I have ever seen._

_He let out a menacing growl a leapt at me. We fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of me, my heart thudding, the dress pulling my legs down. My hands fisted into the dank bloody earth and _the thing, _the other Edward lent down into the hollow of my neck. _

_Sharp, white-hot pain, spreading so fast... and then nothing at all._

When my eyes open, I am gasping for air faster than my body can take in. Short but fast heavy pants. And I struggle to move my legs before remembering the weight of the dream has gone. Leaning to the side I shut off the alarm then lie on my back. Hands fisted into my hair, not bloody earth. 'What the fuck was that?' I thought to myself as I tried to regain my breathing.

Once my breath has evened out more, still not normal though, I was able to think much more properly. Even now that I was awake I was still shaken and scared from the dream, images blurred in a flurry of red and black, I know that was how Marie looked yesterday when I saw her.

Before she died.

I sit up, shift my legs over the side of the bed and place my head in my hands. My forehead is sweaty and my skin feels grimy. My top, an old shirt for an old pop group I cannot remember the name of, is sticking to me in odd places. Dampened by sweat and the shorts don't seem to cover enough skin but I just sit and wait for my breath to return.

When I've calmed down, I decided to take a shower. Hot water will wash all the bad out, my mum says. I took some fresh clothes and underwear from my drawer, grabbed my toiletries and I hightailed it to my bathroom. I needed to do some more calming and some thinking...

As I started my shower, my mind goes back to the dream, what was that? I thought, but most importantly, what did it mean? Why the heck was I dreaming about Edward like that? And who was the little girl? I don't think I've seen her before. And most especially, what did Marie mean that I was next?

I was next to what? To disappear? To die? I felt my blood run cold with that one.

With that thought, I felt the water turning cold too, Time for me to get out. I finished my shower then proceeded to dry and dress myself into something warm concluding that my dream was nothing more than my overactive imagination. My attacker must have hit my head a little too hard but there was a voice in my head that keep saying to me that there is more to my dream, more than I want to let on.

I was just a dream, invalid thoughts from an overactive imagination at play time. No more no less. Alissa would probably have some explanation about thoughts I have overlooked or missed before sleeping. Christine would say I shouldn't eat cheese before bed.

I rebandaged my wounds then went downstairs to have my breakfast, thank God its Sunday today, I didn't have the pressure of debating with myself if I need to take absence from school because of my head.

I saw my dad in the kitchen reading the newspaper and in full uniform, huh, he was running late.

"Good morning daddy." I said as I headed towards the cabinet that holds my cereal. No better way to start the day than a bowl of processed crap.

"Oh good you're up, I was waiting for you to wake up." He replied.

"Why?" I asked while I was preparing my cereal.

"I was going to ask if you needed me to stay home with you, you know with your head and all." He said as he folded up the newspaper.

"Are you needed at the station?" I asked, already sitting down beside him.

"Well," he hesitated, seeming to debate with himself, I raised my eyebrows, "yeah, there are new kids missing and we need to find a lead to them." He finally decided. His answer reminded me of the radio report I heard yesterday at the cruiser, Edward was missing bringing the total to four. Not including Spencer and the tourist.

"Oh yeah," I answered, "you should go then, you have a duty as police chief."

"But what about you?" His concern for me was obvious in his tone, I was touched.

"Oh don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I told him, but he didn't looked convinced, "Okay fine if it worries you too much, I'll ask Christine and Alissa to come over and accompany me here till you get home, how does that sound?"

He seemed appease with that compromise because he agreed, kissed the top of my head then headed for the door.

"Bye dad, take care, love you." I called out to him,

"You too Bells, bye!"

I heard the tires squeal out of our driveway, I finished my cereal then got up, I proceeded to call Christine while I washed my bowl and spoon, I balanced the phone between my shoulder and my ear.

"Hey Chris, it's me Bella." I said as soon as she picked up.

"Bewha?" I heard Christine say with a yawn, I looked at the wall clock and saw that it was past nine, only Christine would still be asleep at this time…

"Sorry for waking you, but can you come over?" I said. I heard her sit up and I knew she was stretching by the sounds she was making at the phone.

"Sure, but why? Is everything alright?" She sounded more awake now, and worried.

"Yeah, everything's fine, it's just that my dad wanted me to have some company while he's at work, so can you come over?" I told her.

"Yup, I'll just take a shower then I'd be right over, kay?" she said, then I heard her shout, "Yeah, I'm coming mom! Jeesh I just woke up woman!" I laughed then, Christine's answer may sound disrespectful but that's just how hers and her mom's relationship work, they were just like friends, that's maybe because her mom got her at a young age, I mean, her mom's not even 35 yet.

"Okay then, see you, bye." then I hanged up because she was screaming again and I didn't want to be trapped for an hour. Maybe longer. I dialed again, Alissa this time, and asked her in the same fashion, she was coming over but only a little while later because she was meeting Ryan at Skips.

The guy needs all the comfort he could get, with his parents still probably hyping about Marie's disappearance and forgetting to assure and comfort him. I remember hearing that Marie was sort of a favorite, that's why she acted like a queen.. Her parents treat her that way, she grew into it.

So I started reading while I waited for them, I got the whole three chapters and a half finished when I heard a knock at the door. I could hear Chris' voice babbling on the other side, "Yes I'm fine you douchebag, nothing happened to me, I wasn't the one attacked you know." She said to whoever was on the phone, I'm guessing Aden since she called him a d-bag, as I opened the door to let her in. I noticed she was holding a plastic bag.

"Yes, whatever you moron, you're not my dad so you can kiss my ass and don't tell me what to do… I don't give a flying fuck about your feelings in the matter… okay fine, you win! Just shut up, okay? I won't go to the forest without you or any other person, I'll make sure to lock my doors and windows, I promise, there you happy now?" she spat at her phone.

I just shook my head amusedly as we went to sit on the couch, Chris kicking the door shut behind her as we did. Christine's' mouth was so bad, she can use a lot of swear words in just one sentence, though me and Alissa also swear, it's not much like Christine does.

"Whatever dude, go piss on yourself." She said before ending the call. "Hi Belly! How's ya head?" she smiled brightly at me.

"My head is fine, thanks for asking, though I think the person you were talking to just got verbally abused." I answered her, chuckling.

"Pssh," Chris tossed her phone onto the table with a clatter on the glass. "That's just Aden, don't mind him." She said nonchalantly, but she was blushing. I laughed at her antics, she obviously cares for the guy even though she always verbally abuses him, her swearing is doubled she's talking to him, but to others it's minimal.

"What's in the bag?" I asked her, pointing at the plastic bag she perched on the coffee table.

"Oh just some foods, I just snatched some things off our cabinets and raided our fridge. I didn't have time to eat breakfast because I wanted to come here sooner and your food is crap." She said, "No offence." She added and I saw her taking out some cheetos and mountain dew out of the bag and started eating them. Breakfast?

We began chatting about anything, obviously wanting to ignore the incident with Marie, we were still pretty shaken about it. I'm not sure if I should tell her and Alissa about my dream. It was pretty weird and I'm afraid that they would just brush it off and think it was nothing, nothing but aftershocks of the incident, or whether they would make a mountain out of a mole hill over the situation.

I know that its more than that… more than just an object of my mind… it's like a warning or a sign.. I don't know, I'm not sure of anything anymore..

We watched some movies and waited for Alissa to come; well, she watched, ate some chips and chatted but I was pretty absentminded, still wondering about that dream of mine. She didn't seem to notice though. If she did, she didn't call me on it.

It seemed like an hour later when Alissa arrived.

"Hey guys!" she said as she jumped on Christine's lap at the couch and hugging her tightly. Chris dropped her bag of chips and, obviously not liking it, made a move to push her away, but I jumped on the two of them and we ended up crushing Chris into the couch with me on top and Alissa in between. Like a BFF butty.

_Should I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?_

"Can't breathe!" Chris was strong so she was able to push us so we ended up on the floor, on top of the dropped chips that splayed on the floor, giggling.

_Should I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?_

Our playfulness seemed to be wrong with my head bandaged and all, but who cares, we would be serious later.

Much later.

"So you guys, what exactly happened yesterday?" Alissa asked as we straightened ourselves, she moved to perch herself on the coffee table. Crossing her legs delicately, her Doc Martens flecked with crisp crumbs.

_Should I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?_

"Ryan is really angry and sad right now, I don't know how to help him since I wasn't there yesterday." Said Alissa.

Well, I guess we're going to be serious now. Christine and I tried to be fun earlier so we could forget our horrific experience even just for a little while, the incident really did a number on everyone involved, especially me, that's why we didn't try to talk about it earlier.

I guess now with Alissa here, who wasn't present the time it happened, talking about is inevitable. Time to get down and serious.

_Should I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?_

To others it may seem nothing, but to me, it's more. I decided to tell them because I think I would get some peace of mind, once I get it out.

"Hey guys, I have something to tell you." I started.

"Wha?" Chris said, her mouth full of Lays, she opened another bag when she dropped the previous one. Alissa brushed several crumbs from her wool tights but the smaller ones clung to the material and she frowned at the bag on the floor no one bothered to pick up.

"I-"I was about to tell them but I got cut off by a knock on the door. "Nevermind."

Maybe I'll tell them next time…

**Please... Read and Review. :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: please read and review.. **

**Disclaimer: twilight isn't ours.. **

**Chapter Nine: In Or Out**

I was currently sitting down at the back of Beardy and Blondie's police cruiser, it smells a little too much like coffee and donuts, with Alissa and Christine. I was squirming in my seat. I really hated riding police cars. It makes me uncomfortable, weird because my dad is a policeman and I spent quite some time riding his police car when I was young and before I had my car, but still I hated every minute of it. I was also getting nervous now, what do these two want now? I already told them I couldn't remember anything.

Before telling the girls about my dream earlier a knock interrupted us, imagine my surprise when I saw the two police men that interrogated me last night standing at my doorstep and asking me to go to the police station immediately. Seeing Christine they asked her to come with me, naturally Alissa tagged long. The two police men were apprehensive at first but they eventually agreed to let her come, saying she could be of help.

Yeah right, as if they could say no to Alissa while she was glaring at them.

So that leads us to now, sitting here at the cruiser, not knowing what they wanted with us. They wouldn't tell us what's going on, saying it's confidential and to just come with them for us to know.

When we pulled up at the police station, I saw my dad coming out and getting to his car.

"Dad!" I was out the door even before they could kill the engine and already running towards my dad.

"Hey Bells, what are you doing here?" he asked me, hesitantly eyeing the car that Beardy seemed to struggle to get out of.

"I don't know either, I was hoping you could tell me why those two," pointing at the Blondie and Beardy who were walking towards us, "brought us here. They wouldn't tell us anything."

"Hmm, I don't know bells, they are the ones handling possible suspects or witnesses while I handle going to the scenes, they haven't reported anything to me yet. Just do what they want and you'll be fine." He said to me.

"Okay, why are you here anyway? I thought you were needed to find a lead for the new missing kids?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just came back here to get some things me and my team needed. We're scouting the inner forest now. I gotta go. Bye" he told me.

I wrapped my arms around him, "Be careful, daddy." He just hugged me back, a slight pat on the back and the other hand stroked my head, wary of the bandages.

"Good morning, chief." I heard Blondie said to my dad.

"Good morning Marks," Dad nodded at him and Beardy. "Walker."

Huh, so that was their names, Officer Walker and Officer Marks, now I remember.

Dad released me and got inside his cruiser. Officer Walker grabbed me by the elbow and walked us inside the station with Marks in tow, who called out to the girls to follow him.

When we got inside, I barely saw the Little twins, Mike and Ryan sitting on the waiting room, "Come with us." Walker told them and kept walking, still holding me by my elbow. He stopped in front of a room with only a T.V, VHS, and some plastic chairs inside. Were we watching a movie?

"We're going to watch the film you guys taped yesterday, we saw something unusual in it and we want you to see it for yourself and tell us if you recognize it or anything." Thank you Officer Marks for unknowingly answering my question.

"That's what's confidential? Well that's stupid, what's so confidential about this?" Christine asked Officer Marks.

He ignored her and led us inside and we sat on the chairs, we greet the others a brief 'hello' before Walker disturbed us and pulled the T.V directly in front of us. "Watch carefully and intently. Silence is needed."

So we watched the movie without talking. Brief messy bits were the camera was turned on by accident and some shaky movement. When it came to the scene of Mike running, Officer Marks paused the taped and pointed at something on the screen, "Do you know who this is?"

We leaned forward towards the screen and looked at it intently, at first you would just see a shadow but if your eyes adjust, you would clearly see a form of a boy or man, it's not clear enough to determine the age and you also couldn't form his features completely or clearly. All you would see is the form of a male with black clothes on, the only feature you could see was his blonde hair since its light in color. The forest also wasn't any help because its dark, gloomy bits…

"No." we all answered in unison.

He sighed and asked, "Really? Please try to look again and see if anything seems familiar, anything at all, if you have seen him on the streets, in the grocery, anywhere." He sounded desperate and sad.

"I'm sorry dude, but we really don't know him, he also isn't a part of our team, he wasn't with us yesterday, maybe he's from out of town or a hiker." Jackson told him.

"Alright then, look at him again and if you see him anywhere, even with the slightest bit of resemblance, please let us know." His face was really serious.

"Okay." We all said again. He played the film again and we saw the shadow of the guy, but what caught my attention is how he moved quickly, so fast. He was there one second and gone the next, it was not remotely possible to not see him against the trees again even if he ran. The police must have been playing this on slow motion when they saw that because it was impossible to see it if you weren't really looking at it.

"Whoa! Why is he so fast?" I asked no one, just making observation.

"Yeah, that's not possible." Alissa echoed.

"I know, we also noticed that yesterday but we can't come to a conclusion. As to how he can move so quickly, but one of the guys just said that the clothes he was wearing could have concealed the light and camouflaged him against the trees. That was plausible so we all agreed." Officer Marks explained. I noticed Officer Walker was no help, he was just sitting there, not bothered by any of us. He looks really bored. I hate his behavior towards all this.

I remembered what he told me last night, he said that this case was going nowhere and that everybody got no clue. With that, my thoughts led to an epiphany.

Last night I sort of believed him, yes, but after I heard that Edward and one more kid was missing, I now believed there was more to this than just a killing spree that some criminal is doing. Now I'm not saying I suddenly cared just because Edward became involved, no, my dream last night was what led me to believe.

I don't know where my thoughts were coming from but I feel like there's really something more to this. Lorelei. '_Bad things are about to come.' , _'_Yes, she the jumbees of course._' that was her words. Does she know something about all this?

My thoughts were interrupted with Mike snapping his fingers in front of my face, "Hey Bella? It's time to go now."

"What?" I asked, then I saw all of them standing up and the T.V is already off. "Oh, sorry."

I got up and we all went outside. Officer marks and Officer walker asked us if we needed a ride back to our homes, but we said no. It seems we all hated riding the police cruiser.

Jackson asked us if we wanted to go to Skips, we all agreed so we walked the seven blocks between the diner and the station.

While we were walking, all of us were silent, I saw Alissa hug Ryan comfortingly and she whispered in his ear.

I looked at Ryan and saw that he was in a bad state; he had bags under his eyes, like he didn't sleep at all last night, and he had this frustrated/scared/sad look on his face. He looks really miserable. Mike and the Little twins were walking ahead and all of them were kicking stones. Christine was the last person behind with her headphones in and her hands inside her pockets. She looks deep in thought. It was like we all agreed to not talk about the earlier events until were at skips.

I bided my time thinking about what I wanted to do, well I wasn't just going to sit down and wait for the police to solve this or wait for everything to blow over. How many more people would go missing, if that's what they were doing? I wanted, needed, to try to help, but I know that if I told that to the police they would just advice me to stay home. I didn't want to do that.

I honestly believe there is something missing here, like a puzzle. We needed to investigate. We needed to try to look for something of help. Anything at all.

When we got to skips, we sat down at the table big enough for all of us which was, fortunately, at the side of Skips and not on the middle. We needed privacy with what I am going to propose to do with these guys.

We pushed into the booth, shoving and hitting and grabbing at things unintentionally (these were things that shouldn't be grabbed, Alissa). In the end I was pushed between Chris, who was struggling to stay seated on the very edge of the bench, and Ryan, whose face was flushed from the small fact that Alissa was almost perched in his lap. Across from me the Little twins were mashed closed and pressed tightly into Mikes side.

"So… "Mike said, not knowing what to say.

We all didn't know what to say, especially me. I didn't know where to start…

Should I tell them what I was planning, or just shut up and let fate take over? Decisions, decisions…

Oh what the hell. I decided to throw caution into the wind and just say it.

"Um, guys, there's something I wanted to tell you." I started. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have said anything, too late to thing that though.

"What?" Mike asked, he flinched slightly as Jason shot a wrapper from a straw at him.

"Umm, what do you think we saw at the station today?" I stalled.

"It was clearly a man, but his features wasn't clear. We don't know him." Jackson answered.

"Yeah, didn't you guys get the creeps when you saw him? Somebody was actually watching us secretly while filming yesterday. " Mike said.

"It could have been _the_ killer." Jason said.

"Or it could have just been a harmless, curious stranger." Christine said.

"I don't know he seemed pretty creepy to me." Jackson said.

I noticed Ryan was being silent and Alissa was rubbing his back. "I think there is more to this." I said.

"What do you mean Bell?" Chris asked me.

"I think we should investigate what is happening here. Just look around and see what's what because the police don't seem to-"

"No way, Bella! We aren't going to drag ourselves into this, it's dangerous." Mike said.

"Don't you see, we've already been dragged into this. We might as well do something." I said to him, my voice an octave higher.

"If we snoop around we could get in trouble, I don't want trouble. We could even get hurt, have you forgotten about Marie? What happened to her? You're the only one who saw how badly she was hurt, you said she was cut open! And now you want to sneak around and try to find who is doing this. You must be crazy. Do you want to end up like her?" Jackson said.

"No, I haven't forgotten about her, it was only yesterday. But she is the reason why I want to investigate. I truly believe there is more to this than just a killing spree." I defended myself.

"It's not a killing spree. If it were then the bodies wouldn't disappear, and they wouldn't kill in daylight with people within a 3 mile radius. It's obviously more." Christine said.

"Okay fine, I'll give you that, but its all the more reason why I don't want to get tangled into this situation, it's dangerous." Jackson told her.

"There are more reasons why I want to, and why I believe there is more to this." I looked at them.

"Okay, enlighten us."

"First, what Christine said, it's too reckless for someone to kill and take someone in broad daylight with other people so close. And I mean why didn't the killer take me too, I was just as easy a target. Probably more easily than Marie, she's way tougher than me. Why did _he_ or _she_ or _it_ leave me behind?"

"Maybe it no longer had any time to take you both, I mean after a few minutes I took off after you." Chris answered.

"Maybe. Secondly, something that Lorelei said to me. Chris and Alissa, do you remember the day at Skips when Alissa asked us if we want to join Project Smoke and Mirrors?" They both nodded, "Well do you remember what she said? What she did?"

She said 'bad thing are about to come' and she threw sage at me and when I was searching on the internet for something to make the movie of, she burned leaves in front my house. Also sage. Then she said something about jumbees. Coincidentally, jumbees are another term for sucouyants, it was what I was reading in the internet when I smelled the leaves. She told me, _She was coming._ –"

"What? Do you honestly believe what that weirdo is saying? She was probably hopped up on some drug, wouldn't surprise me if that's what she was burning outside your house that day too. Oh come on Bella, be serious. She's crazy!" Jackson interrupted me.

"Let me finish, last night, I dreamt of something. It was what I wanted to tell you girls this morning but the police interrupted us. I dreamed I was in the forest and I was wearing some black robe, then I heard laughing and I followed it. I stepped on some blood so I stopped then something cold touched my back and I saw Marie. She was all mangled up, the way she looked yesterday when I saw her. Then I saw this... girl, I've never seen her before, she was tiny and she had this pretty little face but she looked so sinister. She told me to turn around, so I did, and there behind me was Edward. He looked all sorts of wrong, then he opened his mouth, he had fangs! Sharp, pointy Fangs! Then he attacked me. That's when I woke up."

"So what? This is some sort of vampire killings? Be realistic Bella, vampires are not real. Psychotic killers cutting up innocent people are, vampires not." Jackson said in an I-don't-believe-you-tone.

"I'm not saying vampires..." I sighed and looked down, "Last night when the two policemen talked to me, Officer Walker told me that this case is going nowhere. They have no leads, no suspects, no nothing. We are probably the closest thing they have for a clue. None of you were even there and I don't remember a thing.

Now that man we caught on tape. They got nowhere else to go. They have no new leads and now two more are missing, in this case, by the end of the week everybody would be dead!" They all winced at my last words.

"So what are you saying? That this could all be supernatural killings? That what's hunting us is not human? Bella, I think you are traumatized from what happened or whoever attacked you, hit your head too hard!" Jackson kept on arguing with me.

"Did you see that man on tape? He was fast! He was there one second and gone the next. Do you think a human could do that? Do you believe what the police said, that his clothes camouflaged him? No I don't , I didn't believe it for a second. There was enough light to see him on the background and even if he moved, there would still be enough light. His hair is blonde, for godssake! You should be able to see it even in dim light. No I don't think this is human, Jackson, there is more to this than what we actually see."

"Bella, you don't have enough proof, what you said is only enough to plant a seed on someone's head, but you got nothing more to water it for it to actually grow."

"I don't care, I want to investigate. I want to help, there are a lot of people dying. What I said is enough proof to me. If you guys want to help me, then stay here and help me, if you don't then go." I said with conviction.

"Fine. Jason let's go. But hear me when I say this, Bella, if any of you get hurt, it's all on you." With that said, he stood up along with Jason, who looked confused as hell. But he and his brother are twins, they are almost joined at the hip. If Jackson goes, he goes too.

"Anybody else?" I asked the others while looking around the table.

"I'm with you Bella, I'm not completely sold on your non-human theory but I know that the police aren't going to be able to give my sister justice, even if she was a bitch, I still love her and I want to find her. So I'm with you." Ryan finally spoke. "and don't worry, I come willingly, so if I get hurt, it wouldn't be on you, I also really want to investigate. I was just afraid to do it alone."

"I'm with you too Belly, I'm not going to give my opinion on your theory but I'm not gonna let you do this alone. I'm with you all the way." Chris said.

"What Christine said, and I'm not gonna blame you if anything happens to me. It's my decision anyway." Alissa said.

We all turned to Mike, the only one left to speak.

"I'm in. I kinda believe Bella on her theory because some nights ago, I was looking out my window that faces to the forest, I was using my night vision telescope." Christine raised an eyebrow, ready to shoot a snarky comment, but he shook it off and continued. "I was bored. And I saw three or five people run through my line of vision, they were really fast, but not fast enough that they couldn't be seen with the naked eye. I didn't think they were human, and they were all wearing dark clothes." He said.

"Well, that's it… we make a team. So I'm guessing, the making of our movie is on hold for now. But we need to make a plan for what we are about to do." Ryan said.

I looked around the booth, we had moved about now so things weren't as compressed. They stared at me eyes waiting, hungry for guidance in this clueless situation. Trapped in a room with no exit looking for light, so I realized...

I have no fucking clue what happens next.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: twilight isn't mine. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter Ten: Criminal Profiling

My eyes skimmed over the black and white print in search of something, anything that could help, or words and writing that seems useful. After three or four hours of the task, the words were slowly turning to nothing more than letters on a page. With my eyes straining and the tips of my already battered fingers becoming raw and blackened from ink. I turned the page to the next article, a useless ad for some dog groomers with a strange name had a special offer and a small message from the police about the murders.

It hadn't been long before our plan was formed. Mike had left Skips and returned with every article and newspaper piece he could find on the Lost Springs victims.

Alissa said we need to find the murderers MO, the modus operandi. She said it means the way one person operates or works, in a murder case it means how the victim was killed. 'Jack the Ripper would kill prostitutes in the White Chapel area by slitting open their necks. It's all about their methods, the places they killed, how they did it and the reason they chose their victims.' She had said, as we began to look through the papers.

The waitress shuffled over to our table assisting Mike with the drinks. Stark dyed white hair pulled up to the side in a scruffy braid, she was chewing on something in large and unnecessary motions of her mouth. She surveyed the table, a bunch of kids surrounded by newspaper in the far corner of the diner probably looked quite strange. She placed a sandwich in front of Chris, who dug in eagerly, and Mike handed a coffee to Ryan, himself and I, then a tea in front of Alissa.

I took a sip not bothering to add sugar or milk, the bitter taste warmed my body and I gripped the cup to my body. Alissa shook a packet of sugar then added it to the tea, then stirred the liquid. She repeated this several times, stirring in the sugar and then adding milk till the tea became frothy. The waitress stood over looking, chewing on the gum, before turning to Ryan.

She stared at him with wide-heavily-painted-eyes, "Your the Jones kid, aint ya'?" She asked. Ryan shied away like a child would from a stranger; he slid a little closer to Alissa then silently nodded. The waitress smiled in a remorseful way, "I hope they find ya' sister."

Ryan didn't seem too bothered by the sympathy. He just slunk down low in his seat and glared at the cup of coffee in front of him. His eyes watched carefully as the steam billowed upwards then disappeared in the air, and then starting again on a new train of the fog. He suddenly seemed younger, not because he was younger than us but because without a smile his face was just smoothed out. Cheeks flat and sharp because no muscles were pulling the skin into a grin. He looked empty, like someone had taken Ryan and hallowed him out then left his skin behind. Ryan wasn't Ryan when he wasn't smiling.

I think even Chris noticed it and she tried to make him laugh earlier by cracking jokes but it didn't seem to work so we just let him be.

A small plop broke the silence as a sugar cube was dropped into Alissa's tea. I looked over at Chris as she highlighted a small section on Spencer. The picture to the side showed him with several other kids, all in sports kits, at some competition. Each of them were smiling, Chris circled the picture.

"Did you know that Spencer was on the football team?" Christine asked focusing a little more on the picture.

Alissa looked up, Christine slid the paper over to her and she took it quickly. A long, silent glance over the article and picture before scribbling a note on the side. Her messy script labeled 'Facts' about the victims. Marie's short temper, Edward's popularity and now I guess Spencer partaking in school sports. According to Alissa, all the victims needed to have something, anything, in common. It was unlikely that the killer would be acting at random, he/she/or it needed a reason. Although she didn't seem too impressed when Mike so cleverly made the first connection, not all the victims were born in Lost Springs or even from here.

So we can rule out a grudge against the town.

Alissa tapped her pencil on the wooded table, she said, "It's definitely a man."

Mike tossed his paper to the side into the pile of rejects. He had cut out several small articles, the warnings from the police and a small message from the tourist kids families. "What do you mean, 'It's definitely a man'?"

She looked up at Mike, took a sip of tea then replied, "Well Spencer was pretty well built, and as Christine said he played football. Good enough to make the team so probably takes quite a bit to get him down. Maybe a few strikes from a weapon or some heavy punches from someone strong." My gaze flickered from Alissa to the tea, lips moving then a few small stirs of a dirty tea spoon.

Another sip.

"The police released information saying there was no indication of weapons. No knife marks or any visible stab wounds, no bruises, no signs of a struggle but his neck had been broken and he lost a lot of blood. Yet no exit wounds or stab marks." said Alissa.

"So?"

"So, this person has must have been strong enough to take down a healthy teenage boy with nothing but bare hands. Strong enough to break his neck too which is why I think it's a man. Not to be sexist or anything I'm just going with an obvious assumption. It would need to be a pretty large built woman to take down some of the victims. Or an average man." My mind went back to the last time I saw Edward. Outside the computer lab Ted Stone had managed to knock him over but Ted was pretty big. Pretty strong.

"Besides the shadow we saw earlier has already given a pretty good picture of the killer. Blonde or light coloured hair, tall, male. Unless he has friends doing the dirty work we pretty much know what to look out for." Alissa paused and added a spoonful of sugar. "Also, this _person _must have some extensive medical knowledge. He managed to drain a lot of Spencer's blood but didn't leave a mark. I don't even know if that's possible. This probably happened away from the crime scene as there was no blood on the ground. Not a drop."

I picked another news paper from the pile, it was already opened on the page about the victims, a photograph of Marie and Ryan not from long ago. The siblings were both seated in some picnic area, both dark haired and smiling at the camera but still opposite in so many ways. Marie was dressed up in bland colours like a faded image with a fake smirk plastered on her pale face. Ryan, however, was genuinely happy. Hair slicked down like normal and a jacket whiter than something of a commercial for stain remover. A small caption the Siblings read;

Latest Lost Springs Victim: Marie Jones (left) and younger brother Ryan Jones (right) who was present when Marie disappeared.

I took the pen from the table and circled the paper and a small article next to it; a page on the tourist kids, and a number of who to contact if you have any information. It seemed small in comparison to the others work but at the end of the day it was all the same information just repeated, stretched and exaggerated even further from what the original was. Newspaper weren't a good source in a murder investigation but it's the best that a bunch of kids could get a hold of.

"Okay," Chris leaned over the table making it shake, Mike reached to still someone's cup that looked ready to fall. "So we, we being a bunch of teenagers and Ryan, are looking for some lanky bastard with some strange grudge against the world and vast knowledge in medical science who's strong enough to take down a footballer?"

Alissa nodded, "Sounds about right."

"well, that sounds fucked up." Chris said.

I'm not sure how long after that we stayed at skips. It was past the time when the rush of teenagers decided to leave, past the time families had gone home and the place was slowly emptying itself out. Some people were still eating, a guy who was typing on laptop (like the guys you see in starbucks who purposely wants you to see them type and think they're smart) and an elderly couple drinking tea together on the opposite side.

Eventually Mikes mom came to pick him up and Christine left in fear of missing another meal. I was stuck here until my dad got off work and Alissa said she wasn't done with research. Ryan would probably leave when Alissa did but that doesn't seem to be anytime soon.

Ryan began to look through the remaining news papers. He does the job quicker than we did spending only a few minutes on each paper before tossing it aside with the other rejects.

Alissa makes a few more notes but none of them seem useful. Just repetition of the newspapers little hunches and lies, I'm starting to think that the work done today was just useless and a waste of everybody's time. We could have been out there near the crime scene doing the nitty gritty stuff you see the cops doing on CSI but the police wouldn't let anyone in.

They had all the clues, the real facts and all the high tech equipment and detectives, we had the local newspapers that left stains on your hands, a witness with a shredded mind and some shitty instant coffee.

I lean back in my seat. My head resting against the wall and hands folded into each other in my lap. I can still see several flecks of dirt and blood trapped under the nail bed and the skin around the edges is split and cracked in several places from the cold. I clench my hand into a fist, knuckles turn to a ghostly white, and then I curled my hand into a claw. The arteries or veins, I've never had much knowledge of biology so I'm just guessing, rise up slightly from the pressure and the bones raise the skin in a skeleton like way.

Out of boredom I begin to scrape out the dirt and blood from under the nail of my index finger. Flicking out small bits of earth onto the material of my jeans. I raise my hand to study my work, split skin, cracked and chipped nails, but no dirt under the nail bed anymore. I press my hand to my mouth and bite down hard on the nail.

A nervous habit that won't die no matter how grim and gross my nails become. A silent comfort. 


	12. Chapter 12

A/N- Hi, this isn't and update just Pepsiblue26 got around to editing them so it's my job to update. I've been very busy so ill post the chapter next week. In other news look at my profile (J.S.O.P's if your readiong this on Pepsiblue26's account) to see our blog. There you can see some pretty smashing drawing I did for this story.

**Chapter Eleven: To Understand**

It's been a week since Marie went missing. The investigation hasn't gone far, neither has ours for that matter. The Project meetings have continued like normal; crash courses in filming techniques, playing with the special effects on the computer labs editing software.

Of course the school had to replace Team Skeleton's equipment since the police took it in for evidence.

Things had almost gone back to normal. People were still hyped over the small town murders, Marie friends going round in black claiming to be in mourning of their missing and former class mates and people acting extra cautious when it was dark out.

One of the most normal things was a sleepover with Chris. Alissa and I were staying over tonight, trying to resume some normality in the situation, although I doubt there will be much sleeping involved. It wouldn't be too exciting; Christine would make too much food and make herself sick trying to eat it all, Alissa would bring crappy DVDs we have seen over a hundred times.

"I'll be over in half an hour. First I have to go pick up Alissa." I said, the phone pressed and held against my shoulder as I packed my spare clothes into a bag for tomorrow.

"Yeah, well Alissa needs her own car," said Christine. "and a license."

"Hmm. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to get her driving, sounds a little too risky." I said as I packed my spare shirt into the bag along with pajamas. I wouldn't need much else. "I'm almost done now. It'll take me ten minutes to get to Alissa's then another ten to help her pack her bags."

I folded away the last of my stuff into the bag then moved to the bathroom, phone still in hand. "Whatever, it'll take you way longer than ten minutes to pack Alissa's bags and you know it." Christine said, she sounded agitated. "She brings enough crap to survive a little over ten months never mind one night. Just don't come here too late."

"I'm not worried about being late as much as I am about you eating all the food." I shuffled around and pulled stuff from the shelves until I found what I wanted. A bright pink zipper bag that was almost falling apart at the seams. I slid the zip and put in my toothbrush and some toothpaste before heading back to my room. I tossed the washbag into my rucksack, it landed with a soft thud against something hard. Scampi, who had been sleeping at the foot of my bed, turned to hiss at the noise for waking him up. He padded across the bed tail raised up and swishing side to side. When he reached to bag he pawed it several times for safety then hopped around it. I smoothed back his fur in a calming motion before he leapt off the bed and onto the floor.

"Do you know a guy called Brett Clark? Or Sky Owens?" Christine asked. Beside me the cat purred and nuzzled into my side, seeking attention. I scratched the space between his ears.

"I don't think so." I answered. "Isn't Brett from Team Ripper? I remember he was sitting next to Oliver the first time."

Chris takes a minute to reply, there's a shuffling noise in the back ground followed by crackling. "Yep. Some senior kids were having a party last week. Sky and Brett went off for some 'alone time' together and weren't seen for the rest of the night. Everyone thought they went home or something." She said, her voice a little muffled and crunching sounds.

"Are you eating?" I ask.

She ignores my question and continues. "Parents reported them missing last night but the police are just hoping it was two teens running away or some crap. They just don't want to believe that the case is getting out of hand." Said Christine.

I sighed. "Does Alissa Know?"

"Probably, she's more in tune to this stuff than us. I guess she has more interest in whole Teens-Getting-Ripped-To-Shreds-And-Drained-Of-Blood situation."

"I guess." Behind me the door creeks. The light from outside my room is blocked out slightly as a shadow is cast in it's path. Another footstep brings the shadow closer and more light is blocked out. "Chris I've got to go okay. See you in a little while." I hung up without waiting for an answer and move slowly towards the door.

The handle shakes as someone grips it and pushes it open. I stand in silence, a little shocked but still relived when the girl clad in bright pink enters my room.

She looks up and smiles casually. "Hey."

"You scared the living crap out of me." I say sitting down on my bed. Alissa raises her eyebrows, she takes two heavy footed steps forwards, then smirks.

"Did you think I was a you-know-what?" She says as she mimes a vampire. Posing as she snaps her teeth together. Snap, snap, snap. She sits next to me on the bed and smoothes out the many layers and ruffles of her skirt. The bright pastel pink clashes with her green shirt, the colors far too bright.

"No. Besides you can't blame me for getting scared. You look like you just stepped out of a barbie doll box." I said.

"You don't like it?" She asks looking down at herself. "My mum made it for me, she's trying her hand at designing. Says they'll be the next best thing to fashion. I like it, it's ... expressive."

Standing to my feet and tugging the rucksack onto my shoulders I pull her to her feet. "Well, at least you'll stand out."

We move to the door, Alissa's skirt swishing about. "Why are you here anyway? I was supposed to be picking you up."

"I had something important to say and it couldn't wait." She pauses when we reach the foot of the stairs, in our house the staircase runs through the living room, and see's my dad a few feet away. She lowers her voice, "About the murder."

"Dad, were leaving now." I said. I pull Alissa, and her surprisingly small bag, with me out the door as we run to the car. Not giving my dad much time to give us the warning that I'm so used to hearing now.

Alissa waits until the engine starts and we have traveled a little bit down the street before talking. "I've been thinking about the forest." She said. "That's where the murders are happening. In the forest all the way through town, that's where people go missing."

I nodded, "Spencer was found near his house about a mile near into the woods and Marie was pretty far in. The tourist kids were camping there too."

"Yes and I did some research. I was looking at a map of the town, just to see the layout of the forest and there is ... this blank space." She said, forehead creased in a frown.

"What do you mean? A blank space like nothing on the map?" I asked.

"No. The blank space was this square, I though it must be on the key. Maybe a building or something but it didn't match anything there. So I asked my dad, he didn't recognize it neither did my mum. So I went to the police station and asked them." She replied. "They were just as confused with it as I was, but that guy, one of the Officers that brought us in last week, the older one said that it was a manor house."

Alissa looked at me, her face looked sunny and warm. "I asked him why a house be out there, he said this women came her sometime ago. She worked for this children's charity in England and was trying to bring it over to America."

"A charity?" I asked.

"Ahuh, it was her job to set up a home. Like a care home but for older teenagers. They called it supportive housing or something like that. He said it was private so no one really knows who lived there but it was open for people to come and stay if they needed."

I asked, "Did anyone go there?"

She laughed, "Would you? If some strange women from another country came offering her home to troubled teens would you go?" Alissa shook her head. "The idea never took up with people ... but there was always someone living there. Must have been, probably empty now."

"What does this have to do with the case?" I asked.

"A big empty house in the forest, the same forest where kids have been reported missing. The killer needs some place to hide, the bodies go missing along with him. He needs a place to take them before he dumps them." She said.

The idea horrified me, a big dark manor house in the middle of forest where some possible insane man was draining the blood from kids (in my mind I pictured horror movie style scene with a Doctor Frankenstein looking man performed crazy experiments on the Lost Springs victims) was enough to make you ill. This weekend was supposed to be a chance to forget all that stuff and relax. Like how it used to be.

I could see where Alissa was going with this theory and I didn't like it. "We're not going to go there, are we?"

"Bella, please?" She pleaded. "This could be the breakthrough we need."

"But what if it's dangerous, shouldn't we get the police or something. We can't go ourselves." My mind flashed back to the bloody scenarios from earlier.

"If we tell the police they'll ignore us, think it's a prank or something. They're not going to believe a couple of kids. Also we could get in trouble for this, we're trying to solve this case. If I'm right we might actually have a chance but the police will just shake it off."

I stayed silent not liking the idea. "We'll see what the others say. If they disagree we won't go." She urged on with a smile, "Come on, this was your idea in the first place. What happened to gutsy Bella?"

"She ran away with fear when she saw your skirt." I joked

Alissa punched my arm, "Not funny." We stayed in silence after that. Just the humming of the car as we drove. Alissa looking out the window and me at the road. Christine's wasn't too far from here so the journey was almost over. "I was wrong."

I look at Alissa, she had broken the silence. "Pardon?"

She sighs. "I've said before it has to be a man or a group of men. Well it could be a woman. It could be."

"What do you mean?"

"The M.O is changing. I was checking through some things, just to make sure we got it right but we missed something." She paused. "When Spencer died it was a clean kill. There was no indication of where he went missing because they found no blood, all the police had to go on was a missing person report and a dropped rucksack. That's where they think it happened but the killer covered everything up perfectly and left nothing behind to give himself away."

"But with Marie death there was blood everywhere. The guy let himself be seen on camera, very careless, you said you heard him talking. He even left a witness alive, and if he thought that he killed you, then he left behind a body. Something that hasn't been done before. Marie's blood was everywhere and like you said she was cut all over. Unlike Spencer who was found without a scratch."

I looked at her. Face no longer sunny, olive skin looking green and sickly in the dim lighting. Her dark eyes didn't look warm just... dark. Alissa doesn't like being wrong, not that she ever is but she always knows a way to back up her argument to until it can be proved. Right now she uncertain about almost everything, going in just as blind as the rest of us.

Turning back to the road I said, "So how does that make you wrong?"

"The M.O changed. I over looked something very important. The first killer was skilled, experienced. Did the job perfect but Marie's killer was ... less experienced. He got caught on camera, he thought his speed and hiding place was enough. Then he killed Marie slowly, let her blood go everywhere, inflicting as much pain as he saw you he knocked you out and left you behind.

"He gave the police more evidence than any other murder. The first one wouldn't have done that. The tourist kids murders showed up as a struggle. Their campsite was left in place. When Edward disappeared it was very close to his home, risky but not as risky as with Marie."

She sighed. "When the M.O changes it's safe to assume there is a copycat but that seems unlikely. With our case I believe that our murderer has workers. People to help with the dirty work. Every time someone has gone missing they have had someone new do the job. Keeping the police always on their toes."

"But wait," I said. "Don't you think it seems a little planned?"

"What do you mean?" She asks.

Beside us a car honks it's horn, a group of noisy teenagers from our school are screaming out the window. They're smiling; all with grins on their faces. They stayed at our side for a few seconds before cruising on past. Did they know? Did they wonder about all the murders, their classmates disappearing around them? Would they be next, being snatched while out camping or ripped from life on their way home from school?

"I've been thinking about it for a while. Out in the forest that day we were in a group. The killer always went after people alone and he must have been watching us for hours to be caught on film. He had enough time to talk to Marie before her death, before I came into vision. One minuet she was speaking the next cut open. He had enough time to do the same with me before the others came but instead he just smacked me over the head and ran. It doesn't make sense to me. He did it that quick but panicked with me." I paused. "Why me?"

I looked at Alissa. Her face lit up. "Bella you did it. That's the M.O. That's what they're doing."

"What?"

"They only want certain people. It's been a variety so far so we can't narrow it down but haven't you noticed the ages. Spencer, Marie, Edward, Brett, Sky and I bet if we looked the tourist kids too. There all seniors, eighteen years old." She said. "That's why you didn't die. He didn't need you. You're not old enough to be taken, he didn't need to kill you."

I watched as her face sparked, lighting up with realization once more. "It's all been planned out. These people they know what there after they've know from the beginning. It's not just random. They don't just go after the easy ones, they know who they're after. If they just needed to kill people they would go after weaker ones. The young and the inexperienced. The ones who can't fight it off."

"Bella," She paused and looked out the window. "Were so wrapped up in this. Too far to go back, this is too much to handle. These people... they aren't normal. They've been planning for a long time... They know what they're doing, they know who they're going after."

My gave went back to the road ahead, tarmac that went on for miles but just a little further was Christine's house. "Shall we tell the others?" I didn't get an reply but one look at Alissa's face made the answer clear.

She didn't know what we would do next, her strategy was useless, she was just waiting to see what they did next. I guess that's all we could do.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N- Hi, this isn't and update just Pepsiblue26 got around to editing them so it's my job to update. I've been very busy so ill post the chapter next week. In other news look at my profile (J.S.O.P's if your readiong this on Pepsiblue26's account) to see our blog. There you can see some pretty smashing drawing I did for this story.

**Chapter 12: Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Soucouyants Bite**

I closed my eyes, the thick heavy guitar notes far too loud for my liking. The song had a fast into played out on lead guitar, it sounded scratchy and out of tune, before a the lead singer started to hum along. He wasn't singing really, more like talking very loudly as people played music. He had a thick accent that Alissa said came from somewhere in England and his voice would break a little on the particularly high notes. During the chorus the other members of the band joined in, both singing in a messy way. I didn't like the song too much. Alissa said it was about drugs and parties in the forest, she also said it was about love but to me it sounded like some guy screaming out for a girl named Laura telling her that he wanted to sleep with her. I guess Alissa can just see the better sides of things.

Christine, on the other hand, seemed pretty bored. "So who is this again?" She asked, her face was scrunched up a little. As the song drew to a close a long, high pitched wailing noise flooded through Chris's speakers but Alissa assured me that too was a part of the song. We didn't listen to anymore of Alissa music after that, to be honest I was a little scared of the strange bands she had on her iPod, so I didn't protest when Christine put on some more... I would say, 'normal' music.

"I don't know how anyone can't like that song, it's amazing." Said Alissa, she plugged in her hair straightener to the socket and watched intently as they warmed up. She was bored, not wanting to spend the night watching Christine guzzle down double her own body weight in food or watch the crappy horror film on T.V so she insisted on playing with her hair. "You just have no sense in taste. Something must be up with your senses."

She looked over at Christine, who I'm sure wasn't paying much attention, as she stared at her phone. Her frowned at the screen for a second then began to type something in deep concentration. "Christine! Hey Chris!" Alissa called out to her. I waved my hand in front of her face but shoved it away.

"What did I tell you," Alissa exclaimed. "It wouldn't surprise me if she turns out deaf when she's older."

I smiled as Alissa pulled out some bright bottles of hair stuff then looked at Christine. Beneath the wavy black locks of hair her earphones were plugged in tightly to her ears, why would she need music on her iPod if she was listening CD's? I leant in a little closer so I could see, Chris was far too engrossed to react when I pulled her phone from her hands.

"Oi! Give it back!" She said. She lunged forwards to pull it back but moved too slow to catch me. I looked at the screen, unsure about whether to laugh or not, Christine was looking at Aiden Carters Facebook profile. "I said give it back."

"Ohh, let me see!" Alissa pulled the phone from my hands then started to giggle. "Aww, Chris. I never would've pegged you for the Facebook stalker type. If you like Aiden-"

"I DON'T LIKE AIDEN CARTER!" Christine screamed as she ran at Alissa. She made a move to grab the phone but Alissa raised her arm above her head, going to high for Christine to reach since she was pretty small or fun sized as she would like say. Chris jumped for it several times, "Oh fuck you." The little notification sound bleeped from Chris' phone as continued to jump. "Give. It. Back. Now!"

Alissa smiled and lowered her arm slightly, not low enough for Chris to reach but just enough so she could get a good look at the screen. She smiled, "Hey, Chris it's lover-boy right now. Maybe we should talk to him."

"Give it back right now!" Christine grabbed Alissa's arm and tried to pry the phone from her grip but Alissa swapped them over.

Alissa shook her head, her curls bouncing side to side. "Not until you admit you like him."

"Like who?" said a little voice from the door way. Despite Christine's seeming harsh attitude, she is quite kind to all her family and a few select friends... well, not all of them. Especially her younger sibling. The amber family is actually pretty big; her parents, her two older brothers, her of course and then her little brother Connor. Mrs. Amber started popping out kids when she was just sixteen.

Connor's a little like Christine, short - even for his age - with jet black hair and, like all of the children in the Ambers family, has a bottamless pit called a stomach.

Connor smirked as he leaned into her room a little more, edging slowly despite getting close to his pissed off sister. "Like who?" He repeated.

Christine scowled at him, she reached again for her phone that still too far out of reach then said. "No one, now go away. We're busy."

"You don't look very busy." said Connor, he leant back against the door frame and scuffed his feet against the carpet. Christine wasn't listening. Instead she continued to reach up against Alissa's far too long arms. Alissa taunted her and changed the phone to her other hand and watched as Chris struggled further. "I said you don't look very busy. Can you not play a game with me?"

Alissa smiled, she tossed the phone backwards onto Chris' bed and walked over to Connor. "Why don't you play with your brothers? We're just going to do girlie stuff." Connor frowned, clearly not understanding the hint. "You know, boys, kissing, hair, Christine's boyfriend and more kissing."

The little ten year old made a face, "Christine has a boyfriend? I'm gonna' go tell mum!" He ran off out the door, Christine chasing him, obviously happy he now had something to do. Christine quickly began to shout, cursing and yelling. The little boy screamed for his mum who quickly told Chris not to use such bad language.

Alissa smirked, she seemed way too happy to cause chaos in Chris' life but I decided to ignore it. She moved back to her straightener, the little red light showed they were ready. She clipped her hair up, leaving the bottom layers down to start with them.

I lay back down on my sleeping bag; below I could hear Chris talking to her mum (losing in a fight to tell her mum she wasn't in fact dating Aiden Carter) and beside me Alissa was humming the melody to the songs she had shown us a little earlier. She was out of tune but still sounded better than the original version. The soothing effect of her song began to take effect, plus the warmth from her straightener and the dim lights of Christine's room, began to make me drift to sleep.

Then the thought crossed my mind; for someone of her size Alissa isn't very strong. Christine could have easily gotten the phone back. Perhaps, she didn't want it back. Maybe Christine wouldn't have minded us telling Aiden these 'lies'. Perhaps...

_"Be careful, won't you..."The voice echoed, cutting through my mind like a blade as it repeated itself. Wherever the voice was coming from it was somewhere far. My eyes opened to find myself sheltered in darkness. So much that I couldn't see if there were walls around me or a roof above my head. I was sure my eyes were open though. My foot shifted, bare and uncovered, and I heard the soft crunching of gravel below my feet. The stones dug in slightly but I ignored the sharp pain._

_There was no thick earthy feel to its texture, just stones, my heels dug in a little deeper only to sink into the ground. With my arms outstretched I began to feel for a wall to help me find my way._

_"Be careful, won't you..." Again it called. A soft, unfamiliar melody flooded the air only now it sounded closer to me. The same as before but not lasting nearly as long as the first did. Two steady small steps in front. Then another two as I urged my eyes to adjust to the emptiness. When my foot touched something soft, something I knew to be the black gown - the same from before, I wondered if it was still bloody - my mind raced over to find a reason for the darkness but tit drew empty and I found myself struggling to remember the event of the day prior._

_One of Alissa's rare moments of seriousness and Christine's normal silliness blurred in with fast, clunky pop songs. At some point I had fell into sleep, so was this a dream?_

_"Be careful, won't you..." This time the voice didn't echo, just a single string of words and no repartition and cutting off straight after the last word. It didn't seem any closer though nor did it sound any further away._

_This constant uncertainty was worrying me, another step forwards as I pleaded not to bump into a monster of some sort. I could only expect the worst after the last one. Another step sent me slightly off balance. I pushed my arms out in front hoping they would break my fall as I tumbled into the gravel. Although I couldn't see I knew the stones had cut up my arms. A faint stinging and the skin felt warm so I must only have grazed it. Moving forward, my legs are scrambling about as I struggled to stand with my feet sinking deeper and deeper into the stones. Tripping and slipping in the darkness, when I stood up I only fell back down. Landing on my back with the air knocked out of me._

_"Be careful, won't you..." Said the voice again, sounding slightly upbeat like it was mocking my stumbling. I pushed myself up from the gravel into sitting position, palms grazing the ground. Sharp stones began to push against my hands, then against my legs. Something reached upwards grasping a hold of my ankles. A fiercely strong grip began to pull, clawing and tugging at my skin as though to tear it away. Another one, smaller than the first pulled at a ruffle in one of the many skirts to the dress. It tugged, pulling it under the gravel and pulling me out of the deathly grip of hand number one. As the hand pulled I moved with it, my leg slowly being pulled into the ground. I screamed as another pulled at my hair and below the ground something was clawing at my leg._

_"Be careful, won't you..." Another scream, I batted the hands away as they ripped and pulled and tugged and urged me into the ground. More screams as my body was vanishing below, the darkness was still clouding my mind so when I felt arms wrap around my waist and pull my torso upwards I grasped onto them._

_"Be careful, won't you..." said the figure, his voice straining as he pulled. I was thankful that I was supposedly being saved, not paying attention to the deathly touches. The figure continued to pull, my back against his chest as his arms wrapping around tighter and tighter, until my legs were free. He dragged me across the gravel making more cuts and scrapes, the hands continued to reach up and try to grab a hold again._

_The figure lifted me up, the dress still being tugged at by the hands, and pulled me into their arms. He took off into a run, moving faster than I did on the ground, how could he see in the darkness. Crunching noise as his feet just barely brushed the earth and a smooth whistle of the wind against us. My hair wiped against my face and I clinged closer to his frame._

_Then everything changed._

_Suddenly everything was alight. No longer clouded by nightime, but not quite morning. Shadows flickered across the ground and the ground... well, it wasn't gravel I had been standing on. Burnt and charred remains of something created a path way across the ruins of a grand hall. Something was rising up from the ashes of the ground, several somethings in fact, all snarling and clawing their way to the surface. Like from the other dream; people all clad in black, pale bodies with inhuman expressions. All looked ready to tear each other apart. Some half burred, struggling to free their legs, others were just hands reaching._

_The figure was still running though, dodging the hands or at least trying, before the lights went out. It was unclear were the light was coming from, but it painted shapes and patterns across the walls. The light danced across the wooden floors, fighting against the darkness before it flickered out entirely. Like someone had blown out the candles, the light was swallowed up into darkness._

_As the last of the light vanished the figure began to stumble, hands reaching up to pull him down, his grip on me loosened and I slipped out of his arms. I landed in the dirt, rolling several times as the gravel cut into my skin. A few feet away I heard the figure stumble and sink into the ground beside me. The lights began to flicker again before they illuminated the room._

_Now the figure was... someone familiar. Dressed in the same black and ashen clothes as the other, ripped and torn a little to show a pretty pale skin below. He seemed small and weak, fear flashing over his face yet he didn't make a move to get up and run again. Messy bits of brown hair were flopped over his face hiding several feature but I could still see who it was. The same rounded eyes that lit up that day in the corridor, the same face shown in the newspapers around town, the same pointy white teeth that cut into skin. Now the figure was... Edward._

_He kept his gaze fixed on me as I lay on my back in the gravel, he himself had fallen oddly so had to turn his neck to look at me, no emotion showing just fear laced eyes. "Ed... Edward?"_

_A hand reached up beside his leg, taking ahold of his ankle and pulling. Edward was obviously much stronger than me so it took the hand several more tugs to pull his leg under. Still Edward didn't react, he just closed his eyes and lay still. I grabbed his arm pulling against the claw in a strange tug of war. "Edward, get up!"_

_It wasn't any use though, the people further back were making their way towards us at fast speeds and more hands appeared pulling on the 'sleeping' Edward or at me. Then as I was moved away from his still body, slowly sinking into the ash as I tried to fight against the claws. Pulling and tugging and clawing skin, hair and limbs I found myself drowning into the darkness once more._

_"Be careful, won't you..."_

"Be careful, won't you..." I awoke to the sound of Alissa's voice as my vision blurred in the hazy light I could just barely make out her figure. She sat with her legs pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped tightly around them on her sleeping bag beside me. As my vision cleared I could Alissa was on the phone keeping her voice hushed."

"Al... Alissa?" I said, my voice strained. "What ti-" I said but i was cut off quickly by Christine beside me. She smacked my arm and made a shushing motion, then looked back at Alissa. Both of my friends seemed too on edge. What had happened when I was asleep?

"Well just stay out of her way if there's nothing you can do." Alissa continued, I couldn't tell who she was speaking to though. "Are your parents awake yet? What did they say?"

Alissa looked a little different than normal, face bare of makeup leaving dark circles under her eyes and freckles splattered across her cheeks. Her short hair looked darker in this light and had been stacked atop her head in a messy bun and the rest had been clipped back with bobby pins but she still looked pretty. I found myself almost jealous that she could look so dreadful and still pull it off. "Try keep her there as long as possible and if anything else happens, tell me. I'm worried about you."

Christine on the other hand looked quite the opposite. Like a dark raven hiding in the shadows, long black hair she had left down and - presumably Alissa had straightened it for her whilst I was asleep - became a shiny midnight in the dim light. Her eyes stayed focused on Alissa's phone making them look sharper than normal.

"Who is it?" I asked Christine keeping my voice hushed. She placed a finger to her lips again then leaned in closer. 'Who is it?' I mouthed.

"Ryan, now shush." Christine whispered, still leaning towards Alissa.

Alissa frowned, it looked strange on her, then said. "Okay, we'll talk tomorrow. Yeah, I... I know." She placed the phone back down onto her bed. "That was Ryan... he said... that Marie..."

Christine said, "Oh God, did they find her?"

"No they, well, she came to them." Alissa said. "Marie is at Ryan's, she's alive."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hello.. This is PepsiBlue updating.. J.S.O.P is currently unavailable, When RL kicks in, It really kicks.. haha.. Please review..

Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 13: Looking Glass

The next day me, Alissa and Christine were walking down the hallways at school talking about Marie and her "Arrival" at the Jones' house. We all can't seem to get over the fact that after she disappeared and, at the state I saw her in, she just came back like that, like nothing happened. Now nobody seems to know all the details about her coming home except for her family but it sounds and is totally weird to hear that she just came back, I mean where did she go? What happened to her and her wounds?

As expected, the news spread fast. Some people were just passing on what they heard and others stretching the truth into some strange rumors. Just then, we saw Marie walking down the hallway towards us, wearing an all black turtle-neck long sleeve shirt and dark washed jeans.

She looks different; almost bitchy, well more bitchy than before, and cold and distant. For a second people stared then moved on as normal while some lingered, a little wary. Marie didn't look well, her face and any other showing skin was a sickly pale.

Seeing her now like this and remembering the state she was in the last I had seen her was unnerving, it gave me goose bumps and an icy spine tingle.

We moved a little to side, pressing close to the walls. "Okay, am I the only one freaked out here?!" Chris asked me and Alissa as Marie walked past us.

"Nope." I answered easily but there wasn't anything else I could say, because seriously, is there?

"Okay then, and you," she stands on her tiptoes and points at Alissa's face, who frowned slightly at the action. "Why aren't you talking much?"

"Stop pointing at me and get off your toes, you look ridiculous" she points out, "and I'm not talking much because I am worried about Ryan, you know about how he feels about this and stuff."

"No knocking on the fun sized girl, I don't look ridiculous, you look ridiculous because you look like a giant standing next to me." She said with a huff. Always so sensitive about her height.

"You're getting out of topic," I told Christine, "Don't worry about him so much Ali, he'll be fine, he'll cope." I said to Alissa with a sympathetic smile.

"Yeah, he'll be fine." Chris tried to sympathize as well.

"I hope so, when I was talking to him last night, he sounded off… like he couldn't believe what was happening, he tried talking to Marie or his parents but they were too busy fussing over her so he called me instead. I'm really worried." she explained. I looked back down the hall as the retreating Marie moved towards her classes with the other seniors.

The bell rang and startled the three of us, we didn't notice we were standing on the side of the hallway and blocking some people off their lockers.

"Shoot, I have to get my stuff at my locker. I'll talk to you guys later." Chris said and she surprised us as she hugged Alissa tightly and pulled her head down so she can kiss her on the cheek before running away.

"Did she just…?" Alissa asked.

"Yeah" Was my intelligent reply.

I guess this day is going to be full of weirdness..

~*~

Christine and I met at the lockers to go to our second class together, and as we approached near the classroom we heard several students whispering.

"… yeah, she just, like, came home last night, no scratch, no scars, nothing.."

"Really? I heard she came back with a tattoo… "

"… said she joined a cult or some shit like that…"

"She is more bitchier now than before, she acts like she fucking owns the halls…"

I looked at Chris when I heard her snort lightly at the last comment, I knew she was listening too. I raised my eyebrow at her in question.

"What? I was just amused." She answered defensively. I just shook my head and we went inside the classroom and sat in our seats.

I saw Chris take down her hair and put her earphones in. I wish I could do the same, I wanna get lost in my own thoughts, but I can't do that because they said school is important, but cant people realize, I'm still in shock and seeing Marie now, just adds to my trauma?

I heard Ms. Jane enter the room and I silently prayed that she wouldn't make us do much activity today.

"Buenos Dias, Zao Shang Hao, Kali Mera, Aloha Kakahiaka, Buon Giorno, Good morning everyone, How the feck are all of you!" she exclaimed, not asked. "So today is a special day so were gonna have this activity I thought of." Everyone, except Chris who looks asleep, nodded and Ahhuhed.

"It's called doing nothing activity! Doesn't it sound great? All you have to do is seat down and do nothing." She said and I thanked any deity out there who answered my prayer. Superman, Buddha, Green Lantern, whomever, thanks a lot!

"Oh, and you can use your phones and whatever you have. But no drugs!" Ms. Jane said.

"But I thought were supposed to do nothing?" a student a few rows behind me asked.

"Seriously? Are you a teenager? Are you even human? I gave you guys a chance to use your electronics freely and you question me?!" Ms. Jane replied.

"Fine, whatever!" the student huffed.

"Good, now that's settled, everybody, shut up and let me go, Hey!" Ms. Jane laughed. Wow, she really is weird.

As everybody quieted down and started bringing out their gadgets, I just sat there and got lost in my own thoughts, just the way I liked it.

I'm not sure how it happened or how It started, but I think I fell asleep…

I was walking down hallway after hallway in what looked like my school, but it's deserted, I can't see any other living, breathing soul near me. I just kept walking and walking, I feel a pull somewhere near me, something wants me to go to them.

I walked past an empty classroom, then that's where I felt the pull strongest, I opened the door, afraid of what I might see but I couldn't help myself.

I opened the door wide and saw that it was my biology classroom. And there on one of the tables near the back was Edward Cullen. He was staring down and was writing furiously on a piece of paper, he didn't even bother to look up when I closed the door and it sounded with a click.

"Edward?" I called to him. He didn't look up and just kept writing rapidly. I walked towards him slowly.

When I was just a few feet away, Marie came to stand in front of me. I was shocked and was forced to back away some.

It was like she came out of thin air.

"And where do you think you're going?" she asked me menacingly, "Can't you see his busy? And you're just going to disturb him?" She pushed me against the wall, and leaned down to whisper in my ear. I can hear my own breathing, I was panting and scared. The nearer she was to me, the more air I lose and the more I have to breathe hard.

"If I were you, I would be careful." She whispered in my ear in a very hollow tone. I didn't know if was warning me or just scaring me, but truthfully, I am really scared.

Then she leaned back and smiled at me. It wasn't a friendly smile.

Then she disappeared. I was still pinned on the wall, yet no one was holding me. That's when I realized I was weak, my knees are shaking, I was breathing hard and I was relying on the wall to stay up.

"Hey, I drew something for you." I heard a voice say in front of me. When I cleared my thoughts, my mind registered that it was Edward's voice. And he was standing right in front of me.

But he looked different, he was very pale, wearing an all black outfit, and he looked lifeless. He wasn't the Edward I liked, this was the Edward I dreamt of before, the one I was afraid of.

"Wanna take a look? It's a picture of you." He said.

Without waiting for my answer, he showed me his drawing; it is a picture of me.

But it wasn't beautiful to look at. It was detailed and drawn with a careful hand, but what made it not beautiful is that it was a gory picture. Of me.

I was bloodied and had a lot of wounds, blood was gushing out of my arms and legs and my clothes were torn. But the detail I noticed the most was my face, It had a lot of lines drawn in it, it resembled shattered glass, and I also had a very defeated look on my face, and tears were falling from my cheek.

It was scary to look at. I couldn't look at it anymore so I just closed my eyes.

I felt something near my ear when I heard, "This picture is going to happen soon." Followed by an evil laugh, not evil laugh like doofenshmirtz, but the evil laugh that will make you whimper and cower just by hearing it.

After that I felt something gooey behind me. I regained my strength and whirled around to face the wall, and there I saw that the wall was full of blood and the room was turning to ashes.

There was nowhere I could go.

"Don't worry, its painless."

Then everything went up in flames.

I was torn from my dream when a hand shook me on my shoulder.

"Oh my God Bella, are you alright?" I heard Christine ask me frantically. There were murmurs all around. I was losing my focus.

"Bella, breathe with me. Inhale, exhale, come on Bella, breathe, just breathe."

I realized I was hyperventilating. I did what Chris told me and started breathing in and out.

When I was finally able to calm down, I looked around me but they were blurry, I wiped at my eyes and saw that I had tears in them.

When I looked around again, I saw many concerned faces surrounding me. Chris and Ms. Jane were in front of me.

"Are you alright? Do you need anyone to bring you to the nurse's office?" Ms. Jane asked.

I couldn't speak so I just shook my head.

"Alright. Everybody out now, Christine sweetheart, stay with Bella until she calms down and could stand up, I really think we need to bring her to the nurse." Ms. Jane instructed.

"No! No. I'm fine, I just need a minute." I finally found my voice.

"Okay, stay as long as you need, I don't have a class for the next hour anyway." Ms. Jane told me and asked Christine to stay with me.

"Are you sure you're fine?" she asked me with worry in her eyes, she handed me a bottle of water.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." I said as I took the bottle and drank it straight.

"Let's go." I told her and stood up. My knees were still wobbly but I could manage. Chris was instantly by my side and helping me.

"I'm fine." I told her to ease her worries, "Thanks you Ms. Jane, but were going now."' I called to my teacher.

"Oh sure, you're welcome. Take care now, alright." She said to me with a genuine smile.

"Bye." I answered her and Chris and I walked out of the room.

~*~

"Alright, everybody settle down now." Mr. Stevens told all the students in the lab room. It was another project meeting.

Me and my group are already settled in one of the lab tables. Marie was sitting at the head of the table and everybody was gawking at her. She didn't even bat an eyelash at all the attention she was getting. 

"If I could have all of your attentions!" said Mr. Stevens. "I understand we have had some 'disturbance' recently." A quick glance over at over table wasn't mixed. "I know some of the groups have had some problems but that is no reason for the rest of you to slack off." A quick glance at Team Ripper wasn't missed. 

"This club was set up for students serious about their work in this subject and for those of you who joined believing this would be a doss lesson you are very wrong. Just because you're not serious doesn't mean others want to be dragged down. There is only a few weeks left and expect you to all get on with this. I understand that some of you need to continue filming on school property, all I ask is you keep it down." 

People were quick to fill out, Team Aswang and Ripper leaving first. Oliver West shouting something about the science labs as he held up canisters of fake blood and a box full of cling film wrapped objects. I wasn't too sure I wanted to know the subject of Team Ripper movies. 

Others left I think for free opportunity to wonder the halls with an excuse to make noise and mess about. In the end few groups were left, most of Team Skeleton gathered around one computer as Jason and Jackson fussed over a memory stick. It turned out the two brothers had spent the weekend trying to recover some of the footage we had lost to the police. They had pieced together the opening titles and what we would be using as the end credits. 

I leaned in towards the screen as Jason tried to put it on full screen view and I was quick to be flanked either side by Mike and Marie. Neither of them made me feel too comfortable.  
>Christine on the other hand, short height didn't mix with the taller group members and being trapped at the back had to squeeze her way into the front beside Mike and Ryan. She didn't seem too pleased either. <p>

The screen flickered a couple of times, writing blurred its way into view as well as a Mikes mock up of our logo.  
>I tried to pay attention but it was a little hard with two people breathing down my neck. Marie ,way to close for comfort and Mike being Mike. Marie shifted beside me. I turned to look at her, she brushed a dark price of hair behind her ear, a delicate act that somehow stood out in the gloom. Noticing my stares she sent a brief smile in my direction, not a pleasant one but not quite Marie either, all teeth and smirking. No one else seemed to interested, all focusing on the screen - I was glad that I wasn't, a blonde girl in a pair of very small shorts was being chased by an axe murder down a deserted street - and soon Marie was too. <p>

There was something defiantly different. Marie had never been one of the most likeable of people, she gained her respect through fear. Her dark attitude and wit helped her get by. Some people just knew to stay out of her way but now she just seemed something else entirely. 

Small differences; her eyes are sharper as though she was always on edge, always suspecting, and she appeared a rather sickly pale. Don't get me wrong Marie was a little ghostly before but this tone to her skin gaze the illusion of sickness. Then again she had almost died, that had to count for something. 

The clip was over, I hadn't paid it much attention. As the others moved back to our desk I moved to the chair next to Jason. Opting to assist editing rather than sit next to Marie.  
>Jason didn't seem too shocked by it. He opened up a computer program and began to import the footage from his memory stick.<br>"So, is she a... Vamp or something?" He asked, a brief glance over at Marie.  
>"I," was not sure how to answer his question. The Little twins had been quicker to dismiss my theory than the others. They hadn't wanted anything to do with our investigation, they panicked - well Jackson did - and left before they got too involved. How did I know he wasn't mocking me. "That's stupid, vampires don't exist." <p>

I spared a look at Marie. A sly smile on her face as if she owned the place, I was glad I didn't have to work with her and the others and, judging on how he looked at her too, Jason was also a little wary of the girl who appeared to have come back from the dead.

After Mr. Stevens last announcement, everybody started filing out the door.

Me and my group were the last to stand up and walk out.

"Marie!" Ryan shouted at his sister's retreating form. "Marie!"

Ryan ran after her and when she reached her, She pushed him away.

Ryan held on to her shoulders and spun her around to face him. "Marie, what the hell? What the heck happened to you?" Marie hissed at him and had pointed look on her shoulders. Ryan saw the gesture and let go.

"None of your business now get away from me." She answered her in a threatening tone.

Ryan was shocked to say the least, he and his never got along but she wasn't this openly hostile to him either. Everyone was watching their display and I noticed Lorelie on one corner, she closed her eyes and started murmuring something, she was holding on to some kind of medallion in her hand.

I stalked towards her and shook her a little.

"Lorelie what are you doing?" I asked her.

"Nothing." She answered nut she had that guilty look on her face, so I knew she was lying.

"Your lying. You know something don't you?" I asked her with a slightly high tone in my voice.

Her face blanked out for a minute and looked at me straight dead in the eyes. "They think I'm crazy. I'm not, they just don't understand. They only see what they're told to see, they don't look hard enough for what's hidden. That's why when something new comes along they don't want to accept it unless enough people tell them too."

"Bella, none of these people know what's happening. They don't realize the significance of everything that's happening, but you do don't you?" I didn't answer but Lorelie continued.

"There is danger everywhere, look around you, be careful you're being watched and followed. She must sacrifice someone's blood to save her hounds and she must be stopped before she gets on thousands. No one is safe, this place is the last stop, everything will happen here, prepare yourself, it might not be the end of the world, but it might be the end of humanity." She said then took my hand. She shoved something in it and ran away, fast.

"Well that was cryptic." I heard Chris say to my right. I didn't know she was listening as well. "She ran like her ass was on her fire, what did you do?"

"Nothing. I only asked her if she knew anything." I told her honestly, "then she gave me this."

I held it up and saw that it was some sort of necklace with a tiny bottle tied to it. When I looked more closely, I saw that it was salt.

"Is that salt?" Chris asked with her face only a few inches from the bottle and her eyes almost crossing.

"Yeah, I think." I took away the necklace and Chris almost fell face first. I giggled. She glared at me.

I put in on and it ended right on where my heart was beating.

"Hey, I have an idea." I told Chris, "I think we need to visit the manor house."

"oh shit! Yeah, we'll talk later. Bye!" Chris said hurriedly before running away, and I quote her, 'like her ass was on fire'.

I was confused with her actions before a panting Aiden stops besides me, "damn, she runs fast." He said to me before running towards Christine's general direction again.

'okay' I thought to myself. We'll either talk later or I'm going alone to get on with my idea.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fourteen: Hardly The Salt of The Earth

"Well, this is," Christine looked out of her window. The tall building, the porch looking ready to sink into the ground and drag the rest of the building with it. Each window adorned a pair of delicate looking lace curtains that were only just visible through the murky glass. The rooftop was moss covered and the walls hidden by wisteria crawling it's way up one side of the house, covering almost all and it would soon cover the window. An attic window, and several others on the upper floors, looked to be made of stained glass. Although they weren't appearing to be of pictures, more of the color red. "a shit hole."

I hadn't been feeling well that morning. Being crammed into Christine's car didn't help much either. She and Alissa sat in the front whilst I was squashed in the back with Ryan and Mike. I couldn't help but feel a little left out as the two spoke too quiet for the rest of us to hear.

I tugged my sleeves further down my arms to hide the goose bumps. It wasn't cold, not today. It was the opposite if anything but they seemed determined to stay.

We couldn't get the car much closer to the entrance. A cobbled pathway that led up to a crooked porch way made sure of that. After turning about in an awkward parking we decided to leave it a little farther down the road.

"Okay, so... this is the Addington manor? To be honest I was expecting something more..." Ryan's words slowed as he looked around. The house sat in the middle of a clearing in the trees, scarce of light the trees stood tall and appeared to grow away from the house direction. The only plants nearby were small shrubs or browning, tall grass.

"Cleaner? Less crappy? Spectacular?" Christine offered, she pulled out her camera, spare film in a small satchel on her shoulder. We had brought the cameras. Chris had insisted to keep video files just in case something did happen, she didn't say what she was expecting.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting either.

"More English actually." Mike passed him a digital camera, Christine was using the professional one assigned for the project.

"Do we even have permission to be here?" Mike asked.

"No. What exactly would we say, 'hey we need to intrude on this house so we can see if there's any murderers or dead children lying around.' I don't think that would work."

As we came closer the sight didn't become any more pleasant. The cracks and chips were more vibrant than ever.

Christine moved to the steps, placing her left foot on carefully to test them, after it didn't give way she decided it was safe enough to hold her weight. "How about me, Alissa and Bella check out the inside. You two look around the back?"

Ryan shrugged; Mike on the other hand didn't seem to pleased with the arrangement. "Hang on, doesn't it seem a little dangerous to head on in like that. Maybe one of each in the groups?"

"So, for three girls this place is dangerous but for two girls and a guy everything is alright?" Christine started. "No, you two check out here. If we find something good we'll come get you."

The boys left reluctantly and Christine began a search for a big rock to smash open the window leaving me and Alissa on the porch.

She moved over to the windows. Alissa rolled the sleeve of her jumper down past her wrist, tugging it over her fist and the extra material into her palm. She pressed it against the glass and wiped it over the surface. After one wipe her sleeve turned green.

"Oh, Alissa that's disgusting. Stop it." She didn't. When finally satisfied with the cleaning she leaned in to look through the gap, cupping her hands around her eyes to block out the light.

"Look." She said. Alissa moved aside for me to look. I didn't see much. What appeared to be a dining room. A long table covered with a cloth and seats all tucked under. The room was too dark to see much else but I could make out the shape of a door frame and a fireplace, some fancy painting above it but not much else.

I said, "I see an empty room."

Alissa smiled, "Exactly, you see. Someone must still live here to have cleaned the other side of this window or else you wouldn't be able to see anything."

"Oh," I whispered. "Chris we don't need that rock anymore!"

"What, Then how are we gonna get in?" Christine shouted back from down the pathway. She dropped what looked to be the 'big rock'.

"We ring the doorbell like civilized people do." Alissa said, pressing the little button. On the other side of the door a small bell rang out.

"You don't just ring the doorbell! You said so yourself that they could be killers, do you think ringing the doorbell is a good idea?" Christine said as she ran up the steps.

"But," I said. "She's already done it."

"I won't be a minute." A women's voice called out from the other side. I sounded distant, like she was quite far from us but she had defiantly heard the bell.

Christine glanced at the door in horror. "Oh crap. They know we're here, if we die this is your fault."

"Who's fault?" A voice asked. Not the women's, another girl. We turned to the door, cracked slightly open it hung on a chain with a girls pale face looking through the space. She eyed each of us carefully, lingering on me a little longer than the others. "Who's fault?" She repeated. The girl didn't look much older than us. Light blonde hair crowned her head in a messy braid and she looked a sickly pale. Her face miserable, thin pink lips pressed together only splitting a tiny bit for words to slip out. She closed the door a little, fiddled with the chain on the other side before opening it wider.

Our view of her now was only slightly better. She had thin arms and bony looking legs, her dark clothes looked to be hanging on to her skinny frame and her shoulders hunched. "What do you want?"

"Nora! What did I tell you about going outside? Should have stayed upstairs with the others, if you're not careful..." The women's voice returned, a slender figure walked quickly down the corridor behind the girl, Nora. She seemed more pleasant, smiling face and dark hair curling in a neat style.

Nora looked at the women, expression not changing much. "Sorry."

The smiling women patted her head, much like an owner would a dog. "It's alright, chickadee. Go back to bed; I'll bring you up something to drink in a little while."

Nora grunted and left. The women turned, smiling warmly, "How can I help you, love?"

Christine looked about panicked. Glancing between me and Alissa, probably trying to guess which of us would be a better choice to outrun in a getaway.

"Hi, um, we're from the school. Lost Springs High, um, we were wondering if we could do some filming in your gardens?" Alissa finally spoke up. The normal confident flair had disappeared.

"Filming?" The women asked, her voice was strange, definitely not an American accent, but not one that I recognized. If I had to guess, I would say English, but I had only ever heard the posh ones that all the British actors had.

"Yes, um, we are, um, doing a school project. Horror films, your house seems perfect." Said Alissa. "Oh, um, I didn't mean anything by that. I was just,"

The women laughed, "No offence taken, dear, and no need to panic. I won't bite you. I'm Miss Addington, but most of the kids here call me Carmen."

"Kids? As in plural?" I asked.

Carmen turned to me, again with a smile. "Yes, this is like a safe place you see. Refuge, or Protective housing as some call it. Most of these are children from England. Took them over here for a fresh start." Said Carmen. She glanced us over. "Say, would you lot like to come in for some tea? Weathers not too good and I quite fancy a chat with someone new. You can tell me a little more about this filming thing."

Christine shook her head, Alissa stayed silent leaving me to answer. "Yes please."

"I have lots of kids here. Back when I was in England, I used to be in a bad situation. Much like some of the kids here. Got some help, this bloke came and told me what to do and I went on with my life, he helped me become ... stronger, if you will.

"I became to helping people who were like me. No place to go, no family, friends turning their backs on 'em. Children who needed someone.

"Before long I was looking after many kids, far too many. And when they were old enough I sent 'em on their way. Happy and healthy, completely new people, ready-to take on anything. Most of 'em are doing what I did for 'em; looking after little kiddies."

"The ones here with me, are the ones too young, too weak. I thought they needed a fresh start, only a few of these Americans, mind you." Carmen said. She sat across from us in all elegance and grace, legs crossed and china tea cup resting on a pretty matching saucer. Like a long lost Princess.

Chris, Alissa and I on the other hand had never seemed more out of place among her world. Chris was struggling to sit up straight and Alissa was using a spoon to scoop out her biscuit - she had dunked it in a little too long, so it had broke in two. I on the other hand was trying to ignore the bitter taste of the tea; Carmen had made it for us all, putting a generous amount of sugar in each cup.

I placed the cup back onto the tray, it clatter loudly giving me Carmen's full attention. "That girl, the one we saw earlier-"

"Ah, Nora."

"Yes, Nora. Is she one of your English kids?" I asked.

Carmen paused for a moment. "I honestly cannot remember. Have so many. I think I found her somewhere down south, the south of England not America, but she may have come from somewhere else. Some place poor. The girls always been a sickly one, even skinnier when I found her, but after the change ... it brought out something new in her. A brilliant spark, one of the best I've come across. But she's so weak, maybe in a few years I'll let her go out on her own."

Carmen gave a sad smile, about to lift her untouched tea to her mouth before. "Lille, Lille in France that's where she's from. And I found her over in Dover, just come off the boat over the channel."

I didn't quite understand a word that Carmen was saying. She kept jumping about between subjects and seemed to eager to give information about herself away, it hardly seemed she was a killer. Nora, was too weak looking. The other kids, if they existed at all, could have something to do with it.

"So, about these American kids, how many do you have?" I asked. If they were the minority I could probably get a rough estimate of the total children here all together.

"I've come across 30 in all my time here but some of the stronger ones I let leave on their own or go off with some of the elder kiddies. I've only a few at the moment." she replied without much hesitation.

Carmen still avoided my question.

"Oh." Christine whispered her first word in over an hour. She still looked a little uncomfortable.

"What about a girl named Marie Jones? I've heard she came here recently."

She didn't answer. Carmen stared at her hand, glancing at a collection of rings on each digit. "Oh, sorry. Zoned out a little then. Marie, you say. I remember, lovely dark haired lass. Came over here a little while ago, only a day I think, maybe. I have a bad memory, strange not too long ago, but yes Marie came here and of course I let her in. She is very strong, one of the strongest I've come across. That's why I didn't mind too much."

"So is Marie here?" Christine asked. If she was maybe she had calmed down more, maybe she would want to talk to Ryan or agree to come back to her home.

"No." Carmen replied. "She's with some of the others. They're out in the Forrest I believe."

"Why? I mean, there's a ban, no one's allowed in until the murderers have been caught." Alissa said. It appeared she had salvaged the biscuit.

"Murderers? Don't be so silly, my kids are smart enough not to go get themselves into a bother." Carmen said. She cast a quick glance behind us, glaring at something. When I turned around I didn't notice anything, just the shadows of the darkened house.

The inside of the manor was a lot different from the outside. Rooms and hallways with high ceilings and the walls painted white and rosy colors. At the end of the hallway to the front door I had seen a large staircase, winding in a circle shape. Carmen had pulled us to a door a little further along, tea sitting room. It didn't seem as grand as the hallway or the house's exterior but it was fancy all the same. Sofas and chairs named from some posh material and a mahogany table between.

Nothing in the room was going to help, Carmen seemed rather useless but she was probably hiding something.

I needed to go somewhere else, there didn't seem to be may thing else of importance. Upstairs maybe. "Excuse me, Miss Addington?"

"Carmen."

"Carmen. May we please have look around your home? For the project, if you don't mind, we would like to do some filming."

"Of course. Mind out the children, they get a bit moody when woken up too soon. They don't particularly like the early hours. Especially Nora."

"Thank you." I grabbed a hold of Christine's forearm and tugged her from the couch. She came easily Alissa however stayed sitting.

"I have some questions for Carmen. I'll come find you in a little while." she said. Carmen smiled brightly at the thought of more conversation and offered Alissa another biscuit.

Christine cracked the door open a little, it was dark but it didn't look to be a bed room. "Do you see anything?"

Chris squinted. "No, looks like an office or something. I see a desk and filing cabinets."

She pushed the door open fully and felt around on the side of the wall for a switch. "Dam, where is it? Oh, never mind I found the cord."

The lights flickered on and off a couple of times before illuminating the room. A small roll top desk sat dust covered in the corner and a file cabinet to the side. Aside from that the room was pretty much empty.

I walked over to the desk, a few notes written on paper in cursive script. Christine moved over to the files, sliding open the draws. It didn't seem to be locked.

"Chris get out of there. You shouldn't look through that stuff."

Chris coughed through the dust, "Fuck that, it's empty. You would think there would be some Social Services crap in here."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing at all. Just dust and the bottom of a draw." Christine slammed the draw shut. Then turned to face me. "Come on."

We only spent several minutes in the office, Chris took some photos though none of them were of anything important. The draws were curious though.

There had been a sign on the door telling us not to enter, 'staff only', as far as I could tell only Carmen was the staff. No signs of documents, nothing to indicate this place as being a care home or halfway house.

When Chris and I left to search the other rooms, there was many on the second floor and I had a feeling there would only be more as we progressed, we didn't come across any of the kids that supposedly lived here. Not even a sound.

Eventually we found ourselves in what appeared to be a library. Nothing else but books stacked on row after row of shelves. Each wall covered by shelves, the ones with no shelves was hidden behind piles of stacked boxes of what I assume to be more books.

Christine's moved to the first shelf, grabbing a hardback copy at random and blowing away the dust. She skimmed through it, then put it atop a pile to grab another. Repeating the process.

The room was dusty, an indication it wasn't used as much as the others. I glanced over the shelves, more dust than books, as I went deeper. I imagined the further I went I would find myself tangled into netted mess of cobwebs that hung between the walkway.

I moved over to the shelves on the eastern side, fewer books here than anywhere else, but nearly just as much dust. Running my fingers along the edge I turned to look through the gaps between the shelves.

Black spaces, where things should be. Rings of silvery dust rimming the empty breaks. The floor creaked beneath my feet, no sound apart from Christine on the other side of the room.

Then books clattered, toppling sideways and knocking other books over, and sending a cloud of dust into the air. The shelves knocked a little, more dust clouding my vision. "Bella! You okay, over there?"

I stood still, no movement, Christine was moving through the maze of bookshelves to find me but the floor was creaking closer. "Someone's in here." I said, slowly.

I kept my footsteps steady as I edged along the isles, peeking through the gaps as I moved. Just darkness and shadows castes by the dim lights ... But then a movement.

Just slightly. Someone, moving along the shelves as I did, peeking through the spaces to catch a glimpse. Edging closer I caught sight of a face, creased with worry and hidden by brunette hair. The boy breathed heavily, panicking.

He moved forwards, pushing the shelves towards me. Books toppled to the sides as the shelf fell and I leapt out of its path. He pushed the next, trying to trap me in as the bookcase fell like dominoes into the next and the next. Keeping speed as he ran to the edge, knocking Christine over and out of the room. Leaving Christine alone I headed to the door way after the retreating boy.

"Hey! What the fuck? Bella!"

The brunette had already made his way down the corridor. I hightailed after him, much like Nora the boy looked weak. Slender and twiggish limbs swung through the air as he ran. His skin was just as pasty, the same pale complexion but Carmen had mentioned the kids liked to spend their time indoors.

He reached the end of the hallway, a U shaped balcony above the lower floors. Swinging his body over the top of the banister and down to the lower ground, he landed quietly. On his side but he roll to his stomach and kicked off the ground continuing his escape. I opted for the staircase. Slower but I probably wouldn't break my neck.

Following after him, this hallway, much different than the others. Narrowing as it went along and the doors closed at the end. The boy continued his run, he swung open the door and fled inside. I had managed to catch his speed by now, my hands catching the door before it could shut.

Whether he realised how close I as to him or not the boy didn't slow. Only picking up his speed, arms swinging and knees bent up as he ran across the hall.

Great windows, all arched and pointed with the carved arches reminding me of a church. The hall spanned over what may have been several rooms, the floors tiled black and the colour of garnet staining the walls. The back wall clouded in the shadows, the Windows's black there had gigantic shutters to keep any light from peeking through, yet the ones closest to me remained open to cast meek lighting to the floor.

The boy continued his run leaping in and out of shadows, dodgeing the invisible obstacles. I took off after him, my footsteps loud and echoing all over the grand room. He turned his head at the noise.

A face, white as a sheet with a wide mouth, all white teeth and pinkish lips. Cheeks hallowed in with a starved look were just hidden beneath a light and faded set of freckles. Much like Nora indeed.

As the boy stared, still running, he began to stray off to the side. Heading left and forgetting his task of dodging spaces. The boy turned away, his body collapsed and slid inwards. He curled up, arms gripping legs and screeching as he found himself drenched into the light of the great windows.

He squirmed and pleaded aloud for help. One arm lay over his eyes, the other felt around blindly on the tiles for the shadows.

Moving from my frozen state, I took the chance to run into the light - nothing, just the soft warmth - and to his side. I grabbed his arm, cool sweat like a second skin, I pulled him up carefully dragged him to the side.

The boy wriggled in my grip, his arms slipping from mine as he curled up again. His hands pressing to the skin of his face and cheeks adorned with reddened skin. Like all his blood rushing to his face, only the skin puckered and turned angry. Around his eyes the once sunken in flesh had split, burst and the blood already drying up.

He whimpered for a while, seeming more and more childlike.

The burns and scabs of tortured flesh grew darker, blood a venomous black. In just a whisper, he pleaded for help.

"Stay here okay, I'll get someone to help." I spoke. The boy stilled his movements, the blue eyes became cloudy with tears.

As I moved away from him, his arms flew back out to lock me in his grip. Still sobbing the boy had me trapped and pressed a bloody face into my leg.

"Please ..." He murmured. "Don't leave ..."

"What did you do to him?" a voice boomed over the hall. Not one I knew, not Nora or Carmen. The voice of a girl.

By the door stood a girl, face creased with anger. Her gaze flickered from me to the boy. The girl started at fast pace towards us, dark hair bouncing with her movement. It wasn't clear to me if she too was dodging the lights, she stuck to a path in the floor that was free of light, a walkway of shadows. "What did you do?"

This time the question directed at the boy. He cowered further, not meeting the girls gaze which was far from concern over his newly acquired injuries. "I didn't... They woke me up. I was hungry and I wanted to see."

"You idiot." The girl looked back at me. Her expression lost somewhere between frown and smirk of derision. She took a step towards me, then began to walk a circle around me. Preying on the weaker being.

Unlike the boy and Nora, this girl was defiantly strong.

The boy was still now, hardly moving. Just watching the girl move in her perfect ways. Eyes focused on me and never leaving, as though she was afraid I would jump out and claw back. The whole stance made me question who was weaker.

In a second the tables turned, I found my self being rushed at. The girl charged and I turned to the doors. As I ran her arms snatched out, one tangled it's slender fingers into my hair and the other grabbing at my throat, catching onto the collar of my shirt.

The girl ripped her arms back, dragging me by my hair to her feet and tearing material. My hands grabbed at my scalp, looking back the girl held torn fabric and something else tangled in. On a know broken string hung Lorelies bag of salt. With a still strong grip on my hair the girl lifted the bag higher, level to her face. It span on its string slipping down the broken end, falling off completely, the bag spilled it's contends open onto the girls leg.

Her face twisted, confusion as where the salt had fallen onto her leg, steam - or smoke - began to rise up from the material of her jeans. She let my hair go, I instant shuffled back, sod the boy and his burnt face this girl crackers. Placing a hand against the salt she screeched, forgetting all else the girl began to claw at her leg. Ripping the material to reveal red skin, like falling into stinging nettles. The girl scrapped her nails along flesh leaving white lines, again and again untill the lines went red and darl crimson came through. In a violent manor she ripped at her, tearing her limb to pieces.

With blood quickly pooling around her, the boy glowered at me. "What did you do? What did you do to her?"

The boy with the blackened face, sat up shakily. His eyes darkened, turning icy. A growl rose in his throat and he shifted over to me. I looked over at the girl, still mauling her leg and salt lay spilled across the black tile. What hadn't fell onto the girl still remained in the bag, I leaned out to get it, blood from the girl had damped the cloth making it a warm wet heavy sort, and I tossed what was left at the boy. Unlike the girl, the salt clung to his face. Catching in his wounds, the black flesh began to peel back. Curling up and more blood pouring out. Heh screamed out again and pressed his arms across his face.

Feeling sick to the stomach I jumped up and began to run out of the room. Fuck this. Fuck this weirdness, I left the two behind. Bothe crying as the my ripped themselves open and bled to death. I tried to find my way back to Chris and Alissa.

I'm not sure how Chris accepted my frantic actions. I returned shaking, mussed up hair and shaken. I told her we needed to leave, get out. I didn't trust this place not one bit.

Alissa however was a little more reluctant. Unlike myself she had spent her time sitting in a pretty and brightly lit room drinking tea with cherry bakewells and other posh things that seemed far too unreal after thethat I had seen.

But after enough protest she agreed to leave. Carmen didn't bother much, saying our visit had been 'lovely' and we must 'pop' back again soon.

Ryan and Mike didn't have much to say. They just got back in the car and asked us for what we had found. As they spoke I ran over what happened in my mind. Should I tell them, even of I did what would it do? I didn't tell them the last time, even after i did it only caused a tiff in the group. Nothing, just prove that wierd shit was going on up at that house that we probably couldn't stop.

I needed answeres. I needed to get home and ask Lorelie. She was the only person who seems to know what was going on.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Fifteen: Iron In The Fire

When Chris pulled up to my house it was already late evening. Mike had been the first to be dropped off, he was going to see the Little twins on the other side of town and Alissa had been next. That had left Christine, Ryan and I in the car, only now I'm sure she had some mixed feeling about being left alone with him.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked. My dad wasn't home yet. The driveway was empty and no lights on inside. I never did like being alone.

"Yeah." I answered. "I'm fine."

Christine didn't look convinced. She flexed her wrist against the steering wheel, "You wanna talk about it?"

I sighed, "No, I'm fine, I promise." I tried to smile but I think it only came out as a grimace.

Chris looked apprehensive for a second before she dropped the subject. "You know you can talk to me anytime, right?" I simply nodded.

"Bye, see you at school." I said while opening the door. "Bye, Ryan." I got out then shut the car door.

I walked up to my front door then I heard Chris honk. I turned around and waved and watched them drive away until I could no longer see their tail lights.

I banged my head slightly against the door, 'what a day' I thought to myself.

I took out my keys from my bag then put it in the lock, when the door opened and I was about to go inside I noticed the Pearce's house. Standing in its dark little way, great iron fences isolating the home from the rest of the street.

I dropped my bag inside and got out, locking the door behind me. I walked towards their house with sheer determination. I wanna get some answers. And I think, no I know, Lorelei has them.

I called out from their gate, tall bars with a latch on the inside. Standing my ground I saw Lorelei's mom coming out of their home. "Bella?" she said while walking towards me.

A tall woman with pale, freckly skin and rich auburn hair in pretty plait. She looked like a well aged Lorelie, only with bluer eyes and hair darker, much more earthier. I couldn't be sure if she was anything like her daughter in behavior, the Pearce family kept to themselves. Mrs. Pearce worked some unknown job from her home, or at least that's what people assumed, and her daughter only left the house for school - during which she never spoke to anyone - and occasionally to visit the shops. They didn't speak much or even interact, just stayed in hiding behind iron and brick.

"Good evening Mrs. Pearce, is Lorelie here?" I asked her in a polite voice.

Mrs. Pearce scampered down the steps of the porch, a little like a timid rabbit would, and over to the gates. "Of course, come on in." she said as she opened the gate to let me in. She guided towards their house and when we got inside, I was shocked. The interior was beautiful; so different from what the outside looks. All creepy and haunted exterior of aged and dying wood but inside it was gorgeous. Chandelier, leather couches, shelves on each wall crammed with little objects and treasures. The house opened up straight into a cozy sitting room where Mrs. Pearce must have been watching the T.V. All in all, a very average home, even had a wooden winding staircase.

"Lorelie, there's someone here for you!" I jumped when I heard Mrs. Pearce shout. I had been so focused looking around forgetting where I was. Running could be heard from upstairs, a thud and a crash and a cringe from Mrs. Pearce before I saw Lorelie at the top of the stairs almost out of breath. "Bella?" 

"Uh, hi." I responded. "Can I talk to you?"

Lorelie glanced down over the banisters at her mother who kept her blue eyes focused on me. When she did look at her daughter, her gaze was wary.

"Sure, why don't you come up here and we can talk in my room. Is that okay mom?" I looked at Mrs. Pearce.

She just smiled and said, "Sure. Just call if you girl's need anything."

I told her thanks then started walking towards and up the stairs to where Lorelie was waiting. As I reached her the fire headed girl clasped my hand in hers and lead me to the second floor, I keep looking around. Still the same cozy little home. "Not what you expected, huh?" Lorelie asked me. Her grip tightened as she smiled and I began to wonder if maybe I was too trusting of my quirky new friend.

"Huh, oh yeah. Your house is beautiful." I answered her.

"I'll give you a tour next time but I expect right now you have many questions for me and I don't see an evening like this a time for pleasantries." she said. "Let's go to my room and, uh, watch out for the broken glass on the floor."

We walked towards the end of the floor and went inside what I think Lorelie's room is. She closed the door, let go of my hands, and sat on the bed. I was standing awkwardly and looking around. Her room was, normal I guess. Poster stuck to one wall and Lorelie's usual black getup scattered everywhere. Perhaps the only thing not surprising me, a small collection of incense burners - shaped like small elephants - holding sticks of green but even that was blended in with a pot for pencils and a pink cased laptop. I don't know why I expected it to be different.

Lorelie patted her bed and I walked over and sat down. "Okay, what would you want to know?"

"Can you explain what the heck is going on?" I demanded. "Why any of this is happening?" I was so confused. One day lost springs was a peaceful town then the next day a killing spree is happening.

"Can you perhaps be a little more specific?"

"No, I really can't. I don't understand any of this, I'm having weird dreams, Marie is back from the dead and I think you have something to do with it."

"I have in no way powers to resurrect the already gone, my dear, but I know of those who can bring forth the dying into a new state of living." Lorelie crossed her legs, making her long black skirt hitch up more around her thighs and reveal thick grey stockings that traveled up above her knees. Very Lorelie.

I pressed my palms to my face, it had been a long day and I wasn't in the mood for any of her cryptic code. "I don't understand, can you just start at the beginning?"

Lorelie sighed and said "Okay then, prepare yourself for a long story." I just nodded for her to continue. I didn't care how long it would take I just wanted to get answers.

"To begin, it all started a long time ago," I snorted. Doesn't every story started a long time ago? She was looking at me with a ginger brow raised and I said "Sorry, uh, continue please."

"So I was saying, it all started a long time ago. Think back to a time where the witches of England were famed and hunted to slaughter. Essex, that's towards the east was in the prime of executions. A dangerous place for these so called wicked women and there is this hunter, a man named Eleazar, a bit of a bitter soul because the witches killed his family so he hunted them and he succeeded. If I know right he killed two of them, but he didn't know the consequences of his actions. Late one evening after celebrating his kill, he was drunk and walking alone in the streets when the family of the witches he had taken a daughter from, took him, they turned his body to one of the earth, a tree and burned him."

"Wait, what?! They turned him into a tree? You're kidding me right?" I asked, do you know the sound old vinyl records make when stopped? The screeching sound? Yeah, that's what I think I heard when Lorelie said tree.

"I kid you not, Kate. That's what they did." She answered while nodding her head.

"Okay…. Continue please. They turned him into a tree and burned him." I prompted. It was hard to keep a straight face while saying tree.

"A witch is said to be that of a devils creature, yet if Lucifer can only taint Gods children they are unable to harm their own kin. Do you understand? They cannot kill a human, poison, corrupt and weaken, yes. They could drive a blade into your chest but it wouldn't kill you. To finish off the hunter they had to change his being, a tree would do fine." Her green eyes lit up, fire igniting because Lorelie was a child hearing a fairytale for the first time.

"So once burnt they gathered his ashes, put it inside a seal and hid it away. But another witch, who was like in love with Eleazar put a spell on it, the enchantment allows for a rebirth if he could gain ten thousand souls in exchange. This also allows for his soul to roam freely, he was, to put it interns you'll understand, in a limbo of sorts. Then that was that.

"Now, in the late 1800's, there was a woman named Carmen Smith, who was beaten to death because she got accused of being a witch, she had a husband and a little boy named Carlos, they were all beaten to death along with any immediate family. But by miraculous circumstances, Carmen survived. You see, she wasn't really a witch, just silly superstitions lead people to believe she bore the devils marks, from what I have heard she had no philtrum and she had a mole on her wrist and palm, and those are signs of being a witch in the early centuries. So when she survived and healed herself, she hid from the townspeople and started practicing dark magic, she said to herself that she might as well be something she was accused of."

Lorelei took a deep breath and continued on with her story.

"Then that was when she met Eleazar. Not exactly met him in the flesh but since they both are resorting to black magic, and both are looking for revenge, it was obvious they could band together and try to conquer the world. So that's what they did. A pact, a dark soul promised that if this lady could trade in her would he would give her powers and tricks to grow strong, a beast. Not human nor witch, so she could gather up the essence of God, his children of earth, and build an army from the bodies left behind."

"She traveled around taking in only the very best, the pure of heart or the strong. The ones that fought back and didn't crumble, a certain spark they carried with them and if she decided to keep the child she marked them as hers. A star over the bloodlines in their wrist, then the blood in her own cursed body transfused with theirs to lead them to a slow and painful rebirth."

Lorelie Pearce laced her pale hands into my own, her skin was cool to the touch and as she turned my hands in hers, the bracelet's on her wrists jingled and sent glittery rays across her duvet. "She is nearing the end, almost ten thousand gone and they have found their way to the Americas. I do not know how many they have slaughtered so far, but with my family and theirs path crossing I can be sure that the end will come. She is stealing the children of this town as she has done many before."

"But what does this have to do with me?" I asked.

She smiled. "Why do you think you were left on the day of Marie's apparent death? They cannot harm you, you are in the chosen few to save this world from death. I cannot be sure why, somewhere along your bloodlines, a little mud was mixed in and here today we have a very unusual human being."

"It may seem absurd to your mind, it always does but I need for you to be strong and not fear the time when you will play in the fires. This is so dangerous but I'm afraid anyone else won't do, they are all too scared."

"So, these dreams are warnings or something?" I asked. This still didn't explain what Edward had to do with any of it.

"Of a sort yes, if I'm right they'll become clearer as time passes." A knock on the door interrupted us and Mrs. Pearce popped her head in to ask me to dinner. Lorelie's face lit up again as she pleaded me to stay. I imagine Lorelie rarely has dinner guests, so I felt a little guilt tripped into staying as much as I may regret it later.

***

As I left Lorelie's house, they dinner hadn't been that bad just soup and some pasta bake thing, I thanked her fir explaining thing to me.

"It's quite alright Bella, honestly, after all I'm trying to protect you." She moved in closer to whisper into my ear. "You will need to tell me if anything else happens though, as soon as possible."

I moved away from Lorelie a little, "I will I promise."

As I walked down the steps of the porch I remembered. The salts, the on the little necklace Lorelie had given to me a little earlier, for whatever reason they drove the children - if that's what they were - mad.

I felt to where they had been before, I no longer had it with me. Whatever it was it had kept me safe, kept that girl from ripping my face off. "Lorelie?"

I seemed I had caught her just before she crept back inside. "What was on the necklace you gave me?"

"Necklace?"

"Yes, a necklace with a little bottle on it. It had salt on it." I said. "Lorelie today we went up to a Manor in the woods, we met a women named Carmen Addington who claimed to live with children there. While I was there I noticed ... Some, strange things."

Lorelie's expression was something. Whether she scared or confused I couldn't tell. "You say the person taking these children is something else. You say she is a monster, while we were there those salts seemed to do something. The children I met, it burnt their skin and I think-"

"No! No, Kate no! You shouldn't have done that!"

"Done what?"

"She knows you know! She knows you're face and a name! She knows what to look for, this isn't good, she shouldn't have seen you yet." Lorelie took a fistful of red hair in hands and tugged. "Oh, you say 'we', who else was with you?"

"Christine and Alissa. Mike and Ryan were outside but I don't think she even knew they were there." As I spoke Lorelie groaned. "Why?"

"You shouldn't have gone there. She knows who you are, even before she knew your face and name, she knew a scent to follow and who to take. But now she knows so much more about you but she cannot even take you away yet. But, she can still hurt you, she'll go through anyone she can. Especially your friends."

Lorelie gave me a remorseful look before she tried to leave. "Wait, what do you mean? What did I do?"

Before she closed the door, Lorelie spoke. "I'll make you more if you want, the salts, you seem to have run out quite fast and I have a feeling that you'll need more soon."

***  
>To: BSwan13<br>From: JJJ  
>Subject: Project Shit<p>

Hey b, Jason told me to give you the footage from last sat. Put it in attachments, he said you edit it? Dunno if they are the right ones though.

To: JJJ  
>From: BSwan13<br>REPLY: Project Shit

It's fine, sort it by Monday... Some crazy shit going on today so we didn't get much. I'll check what you have, and try to edit but school comps are so much better.

***

For an hour now I found myself having to look through the footage sent to me by Jackson Little. The Little twins had been quite busy by their cameras, over twenty video clips attached by various emails. Most were just cut scenes and bits that went wrong or where someone forgot to turn off the camera.

The ones that were actually intended for use weren't too good either. With the camera shaking too much at a vital part, a blurry image or the shot out of focus. Light from an unknown source catching the lens at the wrong moment.

The frames that could work still needed a lot of editing, a little too lengthy or a bit halfway through that needed cutting out. All easy stuff I could manage in the computer labs.

I leaned back in my computer chair, Scampi stirred in my lap but didn't wake, and I glanced out the window. It was so much darker now and I let my mind wonder on to the soundtrack of the video clips playing on my laptop.

And outside, past the hedges and great iron fences, just a flicker and ruffle of branches, you could clearly see the faint outline of a person standing by the trees. Running along the tree line and unable to pass by into the land where the fence protected.


	17. an

So ... for convenience Project Smoke and Mirrors is moving to a new account.

s/8844785/1/Project-Smoke-and-Mirrors

This is a shared one between me and Pepsiblue26, we hope to see you there. We are currently still posting edited chapters and the the story on this account will stay up untill everything is up to speed. We suggest if you want to keep reading to go over to the new account and keep u with that one as no new updates will be put up here. Sorry for the lack of updates and all the inconvenience.


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